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

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Using white pads

28 April, 2009

Question:

Hi,

I am married and 31 weeks pregnant BH. I have always needed to use daily protection pads, but since the beginning of my pregnancy I was told to use the BLACK daily pads and that's what i do. (also because of the pregnancy I have more discharge than usual).

My question is: am I allowed to use normal WHITE daily pads at this stage, without any concern if the discharge has some brown color in it?
I ask because the white ones are more comfortable to me, since they come with wings…and blacks dont.

Thank you:


Answer:

BeSha'ah tovah!

It is generally permissible to wear white pads.  However, wearing colored pads is advisable when you want protection without the risk of becoming niddah from staining.  Even when you are pregnant, and even if you have not stained earlier in your pregnancy, a stain may make you niddah depending on its color and size and the surface on which it is found. Contemporary halachic authorities disagree as to whether stains found on disposable white feminine hygiene pads render a woman niddah.

Thus, you are permitted to wear white pads, but you may risk becoming niddah through staining.  You will have to weigh that risk against your comfort.  You might look into colored cloth pads, (for example, at www.lunapads.com or www.gladrags.com).  Some of these come with wings. 


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