Q: I do understand that the bleeding after a D&C is haidh. I would like to know about the bleeding before the D&C, will that be istihaaza?
A: After a miscarriage the law in regard to the bleeding is that it will be seen whether the limbs of the foetus were formed. If the limbs of the foetus were formed (e.g. finger, hand, leg, etc), then the entire bleeding will be regarded as nifaas. However, if the limbs of the foetus were not formed then it will not be regarded as nifaas. In this case, if it is possible that the bleeding be regarded as haidh (e.g the blood flowed for three days or more and there was a clean period of 15 days or more that passed since the last haidh) it will be regarded as haidh. If it is not possible that the bleeding be regarded as haidh (e.g. the blood flowed for less than three days and stopped), it will be regarded as istihaazah.
And Allah Ta’ala (الله تعالى) knows best.
Answered by:
Mufti Zakaria Makada
Checked & Approved:
Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)