Missed a pill
10 December, 2008
Question:I'm on a birth control pill and I missed one day. I am wearing dark underwear, but I started staining. Can I ignore the staining or am I considered in Nidah? I went to the mikvah last Monday night.
Answer:Stains found on colored underwear do not render you niddah. You should continue to wear colored underwear and avoid looking at toilet paper within 15 seconds after urination. Please see our article on stains for more details.
If the staining is heavy enough to be considered a flow (comparable to your lightest period) or was accompanied by a hargashah, then you are niddah. You need to wait the five-day minimum before beginning the shivah neki'im.
We also recommend abstaining from intercourse until the staining subsides. This is a recommendation, not a halachic requirement.
Note that skipping birth control pills can reduce their efficacy as contraception. We suggest that you ask your healthcare provider whether you need to use a backup method of contraception this cycle. Spermicide is a halachically acceptable method, if one is needed.
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