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

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Staining on Mirena

7 February, 2009
Question:

I am 7 months postpartum. I have not had a period since the baby was born. I had the mirena (IUD with progesterone) inserted two weeks ago, I had some heavy bleeding initially, and then some lighter bleeding for about 3 or 4 days. For the last week I have had on and off very light pinkish brown spotting. I am wearing a pantiliner and just see about 2-3 quarter size light spots at the end of the day, and then usually nothing over night. What do I need to do in terms of when am I able to go to the mikveh, and then if I continue to have this light spotting, do we have to separate and do I need to go back to the mikveh each time.


Answer:

Mazal tov on the birth of your baby!

Once a woman has adjusted to the Mirena IUD, bleeding may become light, infrequent, or even cease altogether.  Unfortunately, during the initial adjustment period, there may be a lot of staining.  While two months is a typical adjustment period before staining subsides, some women stain for up to six months on Mirena.

To get to mikveh, you will have to be able to make a successful hefsek taharah and get through seven clean days.  For the hefsek taharah, be sure to clean yourself well internally beforehand.  A hefsek taharah need not be completely clear, so bring your attempt to a rav for evaluation.  Bedikot can be reduced to one a day, with any questions brought to a rabbi for evaluation.  If there are further difficulties, get back to us or a halachic authority about further reducing the bedikot required.

In this case, changing underwear frequently may help you avoid stains that accumulate to larger than a gris (roughly, the size of an Israeli shekel or American dime).  Stains smaller in area than a gris do not invalidate the clean days.  Larger stains should be evaluated by a halachic authority.

Once you have immersed, be careful both to wear colored undergarments and not to look at toilet paper. This can help you remain tehorah even if staining persists.  Please see our articles “Ketamim” and “Toilet Paper” for a detailed presentation of the relevant halachot.

Please don’t hesitate to be back in touch with us with any further questions.

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