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

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Post menopausal staining

2 January, 2003

Question:

Is it required that a woman go to mikveh after menopause if there is any staining? Is there a distinction between period blood and post-menopausal discharge? What if the staining is relatively constant, so that there are not the required number of clean days? Lastly, is there a distinction between natural menopause and menopause caused by the surgical removal of both ovaries?


Answer:

A woman enters the niddah status when she experiences a flow of uterine bleeding that is not caused by trauma. This commonly occurs during menstruation, but can happen at other times as well.  Staining can also cause the niddah status if it meets certain conditions (see ketamim). It does not matter if this staining is pre or post menopausal, nor does it matter if menopause occurs naturally or is surgically induced.

Whether a woman becomes niddah from a flow or from a stain, she must complete the entire taharah process in order to exit the niddah status, and this includes waiting five days minimum, observing seven clean days and mikveh immersion. If a woman is having difficulty counting her clean days because of persistent staining, it is advisable to reach out to a halachic authority for guidance. Feel free to write back to us if you have further questions or call our telephone hotline.


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