Medical App & Medical Advice with Hello Doctor

I’ve had a miscarriage, now what?

Having to go through a miscarriage is a painful and incredibly emotional experience, not just for the women who endure it, but also for the husbands, partners and families of these women.

All too often, it’s impossible to give an explanation as to why a pregnancy was lost. Between 50 and 70% of first-trimester miscarriages are thought to be the result of genetic abnormalities, which means the foetus can’t grow normally. Medically, a miscarriage refers to the loss of a pregnancy within the first 20 weeks, and studies show that 30-50% of fertilised eggs are lost before or during the process of implantation. This means the miscarriage happens early enough that a woman will go on to get her next period and not even know that she might have been pregnant for a short time. The result being that there are a lot more miscarriages than women are aware of.

Following a miscarriage, most women are naturally concerned about their fertility or ability to carry a child to term. Answers to a few of the most frequently asked questions follow:

1. Will miscarriage affect my fertility?
No. Having one or even two miscarriages will not make you less fertile. However, if you experience several miscarriages in a row, then this might be an indication of an existing health condition. All that research has found is that once you have one miscarriage your risk for having a second is higher than the risk of someone who has never had a miscarriage.

Although the exact cause of a miscarriage is often very difficult to determine, most women who have one miscarriage will carry to full term in the future. In fact, even women who have had recurrent miscarriages have a 75% chance of having a healthy baby in the future.

2. How can I reduce my risk of having another miscarriage?
If you’ve suffered a miscarriage, you can help reduce your risk of having another one by eating healthily, taking a good-quality pregnancy multivitamin even before you fall pregnant, reducing stress, maintaining your emotional well-being and of course, not smoking, drinking alcohol or taking drugs.

3. How long do I need to wait before I can start trying to fall pregnant again?
Whether you’ve miscarried spontaneously or with the help of medication, in general you can expect to get your period again after 4-6 weeks. It’s possible though for you to start ovulating as soon as 2 weeks after you’ve miscarried. At this stage, listen to your doctor’s advice, but also listen to your own body. While there’s no reason you shouldn’t start trying as soon as your period returns, some doctors will advise that you go through a full menstrual cycle first – as this gives your body time to recover and rebuild its resources.

Stay positive, and in the meantime relax, take your time, and enjoy the baby-making practice :)

Sources: Webmd.com, Babycentre.com, Sheknows.com, NHS.uk, Pregnancy.lovetoknow.com.