Coronavirus Guidelines

The American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) has come out with a statement regarding clinical recommendations in the face of COVID-19.

Click here to read the ASRM newest update (update 12)
Click here to read the ASRM's newest update regarding the vaccine and pregnancy (January 27th, 2021)
Click here to read the ASRM's lastest update regarding the vaccine and pregnancy (February 5, 2021)

Check in with your local Mikvah to ensure that:

a. Preparation rooms are being cleaned and disinfected between each visitor.
b. The Mikvah Attendant (Baalanit) has been trained on proper hand washing.
c. The Mikvah pools are sufficiently filtered and chlorinated.
d. Wait times are spaced to prevent crowding and congestion at the Mikvah.

a. As difficult as this may be, a woman who is in quarantine may NOT immerse in the Mikvah. This includes anyone who has the virus, anyone who has been exposed to the virus or anyone who requires quarantine for any other reason.
b. It is best to prepare at home, if you can, in order to avoid any unnecessary hygienic risk.
c. It is prohibited to have intimate relations with a quarantined partner. This is a question of Pikuach Nefesh as the virus can be spread through bodily fluids. Pikuach Nefesh takes precedence even over the special mitzvah of intimacy on Mikvah night.
d. Maintain safe distances at the Mikvah, specifically during check-in at reception and when engaging with the Mikvah Attendant.
e. To avoid unnecessary spread of the virus, you should check your own hands and feet thoroughly prior to entering the Mikvah pool. The Mikvah Attendant can check your back from a distance to ensure that there are no stray hairs, dirt etc.
f. Any woman who needs to go to the Mikvah but is restricted by a local curfew (which doesn't allow her to be out late enough to dunk) should call PUAH to discuss the option of immersing during the day.

Hello, I'm terribly sorry to hear about what you are going through. People don't realize how much this Coronavirus is affecting all those undergoing fertility treatment. Thankfully, PUAH has a special team of professionals who are ready to speak with you ASAP! Please call the PUAHCARE team today at 888.993.7824, you shouldn't have to go through this alone. We wish you bracha and hatzlacha and good health!

First of all, refuah shleima for any symptoms you are currently experiencing. I understand that this is a complicated question, as timely immersion in the mikvah is very special and important. However, I must stress the value and importance of your health, the health of your family as well as the health of your community. We know how much the Torah values life, and it would be inappropriate to endanger yourself or anyone else, even for the special mitzvah of immersing in a mikvah. Therefore, if you are not feeling well, you may not immerse in a public mikvah - which means that you will remain in the current state of niddah. As soon as you feel better, you should contact your physician to receive guidelines and instructions for public exposure which includes immersion in the mikvah. In the event that you test positive for the Coronavirus, chas v'shalom, you will receive special instructions from your doctor how to proceed. May you have a quick and speedy recovery along with the rest of the cholei yisrael.

Good afternoon, thanks for reaching out to PUAH. We have seen statements published by many Mikvaot around the world with their own guidelines and protocols. For the most part, the Mikvaot are open and are cleaning and disinfecting the premises on a very frequent basis. At this time, it seems that women who are not sick and are not experiencing any flu like symptoms may immerse in the Mikvah. It's only Thursday now and things may change by Monday, so I encourage you to be in touch with your local Mikvah on the day of your immersion to verify that they are open.

Hello - this is a very common question at this time, but that doesn't make it any easier to answer. On March 17th, 2020, the American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) issued their guidelines for fertility treatment during the Coronavirus pandemic. They decided that one should suspend initiation of new treatment cycles, including ovulation induction, intrauterine insemination (IUI), in vitro fertilization (IVF) including retrievals and frozen embryo transfers, as well as non-urgent gamete cryopreservation. On the other hand, they are allowing those who are currently "in-cycle" or who require urgent stimulation and cryopreservation to continue treatment. (If you would like to read the entire article, please click here) Therefore, you should speak with your doctor about your retrieval, but most doctors are advising patients to push off treatment based on the ASRM's guidelines. Please feel free to reach out if you want to discuss the ASRM protocols. We are here for you and especially at such a hard time like this. Wishing you bracha and hatzlacha!

First of all, mazal tov on your recent marriage! The permissibility to be on birth control in general is highly controversial, especially in the beginning of marriage before any children have been born. However, as we all know, we are living in very unsettling times. Although the medical community has not required the public to utilize contraception due to the potential health risks, nonetheless, the research on the relationship between COVID-19 and pregnancy is limited. Therefore, if you are nervous about getting pregnant at this time, it is halachically acceptable to continue taking your birth control pills. That being said, since the situation is changing ever so rapidly, I recommend we revisit this issue on a monthly basis and reevaluate based on the newest developments. I wish you much bracha, hatzlacha, simcha and good health!

Shalom Emily, thanks for reaching out to PUAH and thanks for your kind words - it is our absolute pleasure and honor to help klal yisroel, always! Regarding your question whether to go on birth control due to COVID-19 risks: to date, the CDC has not issued any health warnings against women getting pregnant. Although the research is limited, the studies show that cord blood was unaffected by the virus in the mother. Therefore, although many of the fertility centers have stopped treatments, it's still considered absolutely healthy and safe for a couple to get pregnant. If you are still nervous because the research is limited and new information may be published tomorrow, I completely understand. Should you decide to go on birth control, I recommend that it should be considered a temporary decision which will be reassessed as the medical knowledge becomes more developed.

Shalom, I understand your concern of going to the mikvah, but please know that the doctors at this time do not believe that mikvah immersion is a dangerous experience. The Mikvaos in general are maintaining rigorous cleansing protocols and are not allowing women who are sick to immerse. Nevertheless, if you are nervous about immersing and prefer not to become a niddah by hormonally manipulating your cycles, you may do so according to halacha. However, you must confirm with your doctor that skipping your placebo week is safe, and you must inquire how many months you are allowed to skip. Doctors typically allow for a woman not to get a period for 3 months in a row, but you must verify with your own doctor. Our psak at PUAH is contingent on your doctor's approval.

Shalom, bsha'ah tova on your pregnancy, we bless you that everything should go smoothly and safely! From a halachic standpoint, we allow for inductions whenever it's medically necessary. For example, if a woman is overdue and the doctor feels that the baby must not grow any more in utero, it would be permissible to induce. However, it would not be permissible to get induced so your child can be born on 02/20/2020! Your situation is a complicated one and you must be in touch with your doctor directly about it. I highly doubt your doctor will feel comfortable delivering you before 39 weeks. In the event that your doctor feels it's medically appropriate to induce now, given the circumstances and your personal medical history, then Halacha would permit it as well. We wish you the best of luck, may Hashem watch over you and all of Klal Yisroel!

Shalom, bsha'ah tova umitzlachas! The status of a woman in labor is that of a "choleh she'yeish boh sakanah." That means that we are technically allowed to "violate" shabbos in order to care for such a patient. It's true that we prefer to transport women in labor in a cab driven by a non-Jew, but that is only when the option is available. If we don't have access to non-Jewish drivers, it would be permissible for the husband to drive his wife to the hospital, even on Shabbos or Yom Tov. If this need arises, the husband should be careful to turn on/off the car with a shinui, but using a knuckle, arm or some other awkward method. Please do not drive with a shinui, as would be dangerous and forbidden on multiple accounts! Wishing you good health and much hatzlacha!

Shalom, I know that this is a stressful time and I hope you are OK. Despite the fact that the blood isn't "period blood," and the bleeding may be attributed to stress, nonetheless its origin is most likely from the uterus. Since the blood is from the uterus, it can potentially render you a niddah. However, there are a few critical questions to consider in order to make a final determination. Did you feel the blood leaving the body? How large was the stain? Was the blood found on a colored garment? These are important questions that need to be considered before we can make a final ruling. Please feel free to write back or call one of the rabbanim at 888.993.7824 Additionally, please feel free to call and schedule an appointment with someone from our PUAHCARES team. The PUAHCARES team is a group of professionals (men and women) who are available to help with emotional support. Wishing you all the best!

Mazal tov on the birth of your new son! May he bring you much nachas and simcha for many years to come! The question of whether or not to recite the bracha is a difficult and heart wrenching one, I can only imagine how difficult it will be not being able to physically participate in your son's bris milah. The answer is actually a debate in the poskim. Rav Elyashiv (zt"l) ruled that the father is able to recite the brocha if he is listening to the bris over the telephone or watching it through zoom. However, Rav Dovid Cohen and Rav Hershel Schachter both felt that the father is unable to recite the bracha without being physically present. It seems like the most halachically appropriate decision is to have the sandek or the mohel recite the brocha, since it's critical to have the minimum amount of people present. Hopefully this virus will leave quickly and you will be able to make a proper seudas mitzvah with all of your family and friends present! Mazal tov again, we wish you much bracha and hatzlacha!