Nishmat's Women’s Health and HalachaIn memory of Chaya Mirel bat R' Avraham

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Spotting on HRT

26 May, 2006

Question:

I am post-menopause and taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT). If I experience spotting larger than a dime, (which can happen if I do not take the HRT at the right time) does that put me in niddah and then if so, how many more days do I count, after that spot, before starting to count seven clean days? Four more? Five more?


Answer:

Whether or not a spot renders a woman niddah depends on many factors, and you can take precautions against becoming niddah from light spotting.  Please see our article on this subject, Stains (Ketamim), for further details and write back with any further questions.

When a spot renders a woman niddah, she waits a five day minimum (including the day on which the spot was found), makes a hefsek taharah on the fifth day in niddah status, and then counts seven clean days.  If such a spot is found during the clean days, a new five-day minimum is not required.

In some Sephardic communities, the minimum wait is four days rather than five.


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