How Soon Can You Get Pregnant After A Miscarriage?

Image: Shutterstock

Pregnancy can bring out a range of emotions, and it is not unusual to experience several overwhelming thoughts when one is planning pregnancy after a miscarriage. While some women want to embrace motherhood as soon as possible after a loss, others may take some time to recover from it.

Each pregnancy and body is different. How soon you can get pregnant after a miscarriage depends on several factors such as your overall health, how far along you were in the previous pregnancy, your and your partner’s emotional health, and the doctor’s consent. Read this post to learn about the prerequisites and precautions when getting pregnant after a miscarriage.

How Soon Can You Get Pregnant After Miscarriage?

Image: Shutterstock

Fertility may return immediately after miscarriage, and hence it is suggested to use contraception until you are ready or your doctor permits you to get pregnant again. While some doctors recommend having at least one period before trying to get pregnant, the others recommend a waiting period of two to three months before conceiving again (1) (2).

In a general manner,The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a minimum interval of six months to the next pregnancy to reduce risks of adverse outcomes (3). and correct iron-deficiency anemia. Your doctor will evaluate all factors and recommend a suitable time duration for you to wait before getting pregnant again.

When Should You See A Doctor Before Attempting To Get Pregnant Again?

Image: Shutterstock

Your Ob/Gyn may refer you to a maternal-fetal specialist, reproductive endocrinologist, or a genetics specialist to increase your chances of a healthy pregnancy if you (2):

• Have experienced two or more miscarriages

• Are aged about 35 years

• Have a condition (such as diabetes hypertension, anemia or thyroid disorders) that can affect your fertility or reproductive health

• Are experiencing issues with fertility

Which Tests Are Recommended Before Attempting Pregnancy After Miscarriage?

Image: Shutterstock

If one miscarries in the first trimester of the gestation period, the doctors usually do not recommend any tests as the tests may not find the cause of miscarriage in the first trimester. More than 70% of miscarriages are due to non recurrent genetic abnormalities. However, for women who experience repeated miscarriages in the first trimester or a miscarriage in the second trimester, the healthcare provider may recommend one of the following tests (4).

1. Chromosome studies

Chromosome studies such as karyotyping can help look for chromosomal problems in you and your partner. Karyotyping can count the number of chromosomes and see if there are any abnormal changes in the chromosomes. If the doctor can acquire the contents of conception, they may also test it for other chromosomal conditions.

2. Hormone tests

The doctor may run some blood tests to check for hormonal imbalance. They may also conduct an endometrial biopsy to check for hormonal imbalance by extracting a small piece of the uterine lining and examining it.

3. Blood tests

The doctor might ask you to get tested for autoimmune conditions, such as lupusⁱXAn autoimmune condition that may cause fever, rashes, and organ damage and antiphospholipid syndromeⁱX An autoimmune condition in which the body may produce an unusual clot, blocking the blood vessels (APS), check for disorders, such as thyroid problems and blood-clotting disorders, or check for progesterone levels.

4. Examining the uterus

The doctor may perform an abdominal ultrasound to check the reproductive organs such as the uterus, ovaries, and fallopian tubesⁱXTwo long tubes connecting the ovaries and the uterus, creating a passageway for sperms to fertilize the egg . Other tests include hysteroscopy (a special scope is inserted through the cervix to examine the uterus), hysterosalpingography (an X-ray of the uterus), or sonohysterogram (saline is sent into the uterus through the catheter, and high-frequency sound waves are used to create images of the insides of the uterus) (5)

The doctor will suggest an appropriate test depending on the overall health and other conditions.

What Is The Risk Of Having Another Miscarriage?

About one in five women experience early miscarriage (during the first three months of pregnancy). However, the good news is that most women go on to have successful pregnancies after a miscarriage (6).  Women who have experienced one or two early miscarriages are not at a higher risk of recurrence (7).

About 15% of women experience sudden miscarriages, about 2% experience two miscarriages in a row, and only about 1% experience three losses in a row. These statistics explain the recurrent pregnancy losses.

• After one miscarriage, the chance of a second miscarriage is about 14-21%.

• After two or three miscarriages, the chance of a loss is 24-29% or 31-33%, respectively.

However, these statistics may differ based on the factors such as maternal age, cause of miscarriage, and previous history of live birth.

Can You Improve Your Chance Of A Healthy Pregnancy?

Image: Shutterstock

Since the underlying cause of a miscarriage is not always known, there is no certain way to prevent a miscarriage. The following tips may help in having a healthy pregnancy (8) (9).

• Take your prenatal vitamins, including folic acidⁱX Vitamin B complex nutrient that helps in cell growth and is found in foods such as spinach, beans, and nuts and iron

• Do not skip any antenatal appointments.

• Follow all of your doctors’ advice if they can identify and are recommend any measures based on the cause of the previous miscarriage.

• Avoid smoking, drug abuse, or alcohol consumption.

• Reach a healthy BMI range if you are overweight or obese.

• Control your pregnancy weight gain if you are overweight or obese in pregnancy.

• Take all measures to prevent infections such as toxoplasmosisⁱXAn infection caused by the Toxoplasma gondii parasite, typically found in undercooked meat, animal feces, and contaminated soil , have rubella vaccine before pregnancy if not immunized.

• Avoid certain foods such as raw or undercooked meat, unpasteurized dairy products, raw or undercooked eggs, and certain kinds of fish.

• Limit your caffeine intake.

• Stay active and do safe exercises during pregnancy.

How To Manage The Stress Of Trying To Get Pregnant Again?

Image: Shutterstock

It is normal to be surrounded by overwhelming emotions such as fear, anxiety, stress, guilt, sadness, worrying about losing one more baby, or forgetting the lost baby after having another baby. It is okay and only natural to feel all of these emotions. Share your feelings with your partner or your loved ones.

A strong support system can help you get the necessary support during pregnancy after a loss. Your support system may comprise (10):

• Family

• Friends

• Healthcare provider

• A counselor

• Local or online support groups of other parents who have experienced a loss in pregnancy

When Would Your Doctor Ask To Wait Before Getting Pregnant?

Your healthcare provider may ask you to wait for some time or until some investigations are done in the following circumstances (11).

• If you had a molar pregnancy

• If you had an ectopic pregnancyⁱXA condition in which the fertilized egg gets implanted outside the uterus, usually in one of the fallopian tubes

• If you have an illness or infection or are using any medicines that are not recommended in pregnancy

• If you experienced a late miscarriage

• If you have had repeated losses in pregnancy

Infographic: Notable Points About Pregnancy After A Miscarriage

After having a miscarriage, the woman might want to get pregnant again as soon as possible. However, in some cases, the doctor may suggest delaying getting pregnant again for a while. The infographic below enlists some of these conditions, which may require waiting and some recommended tests to be done before attempting pregnancy.

Illustration: Momjunction Design Team

Image: Stable Diffusion/MomJunction Design Team

Embarking on the path of conception after multiple miscarriages can be an arduous journey. Find solace and guidance through this video, offering insights and support during this challenging process.

Was this article helpful?

The following two tabs change content below.

• Reviewer
• Author
• Editor
• Fact-checker

Dr. Ben Abbes Taarji HichamMD

Dr. Ben Abbes Taarji Hicham is a practicing obstetrician and gynecologist with around 20 years of experience in the field. Having worked in various Moroccan hospitals, he currently runs a private practice. Dr. Hicham specializes in rejuvenation and cosmetic gynecology, medically assisted reproduction, breast and gynecological cancers, HPV diseases, hysteroscopy and laparoscopy, and hormonal disorders.more

Dr. Ritika ShahBDS, CLC

Dr. Ritika Shah is a certified lactation counsellor (CLC) from iNational Health Care Academy, Singapore and a dental surgeon with more than seven years of clinical experience across various cities in India. She did her graduation in Dentistry from KM Shah Dental College. During her clinical practice, pediatric dentistry was her particular area of interest, and she constantly thrived to...more

Rebecca MalachiBSc

Rebecca is a pregnancy writer and editor with a passion for delivering research-based and engaging content in areas of fertility, pregnancy, birth, and post-pregnancy. She did her graduation in Biotechnology and Genetics from Loyola Academy, Osmania University and obtained a certification in ‘Nutrition and Lifestyle in Pregnancy’ from Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU). She has been into health and...more

Dr. Joyani DasM.Pharm, PhD

Dr. Joyani Das did her post-graduation from Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra and PhD in Pharmacology. Previously, she worked as an associate professor, faculty of Pharmacology, for two years. With her research background in preclinical studies and a zeal for scientific writing, she joined MomJunction as a health writer. Her research work was published in international journals and publications, such...more