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Spotting three days after Pap smear

30 November, 2015

Question:

I am currently 10 weeks pregnant. At my first prenatal visit, my doctor performed a pap smear and noted that if I have any spotting afterward, it is cervical not uterine blood and that it would not render me niddah. The exam was Wednesday and I did have some slight spotting that day and early the next morning (Thursday). There was no spotting on Friday; however, on Shabbos I did have some more spotting, which was on toilet paper and a white pantiliner. I do not know if this was a continuation of spotting from the pap smear or something else. Does this render me niddah?


Answer:

B'Sha'ah Tovah!

It is possible that the staining was still caused by the Pap smear. Either way, stains on  a pantyliner may be disregarded and do not render you niddah. Stains on toilet paper may render you niddah, if you wiped within 15 seconds of urinating. In a situation of doubt – you are unsure whether you waited 15 seconds, as well as this case, where it is possible that the stain was from cervical bleeding, you may disregard stains found on toilet paper and were not rendered niddah.

For the future, you should take precautions against becoming niddah from further staining by wearing colored underwear or a pantyliner, and waiting 15 seconds after urinating before wiping. You can read our articles on stains for more details.

Please feel free to get back to us with any further questions.

B'Hatzlacha!


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