Getting Pregnant After Miscarriage

No Need To Wait Study Says

Getting pregnant after miscarriage can be a difficult journey, filled with mixed feelings and worrying.

For those couples that have been through more than one miscarriage, it can be quite a nightmare - trying to stay calm, mourning the lost pregnancy, getting in the mood for trying again and at the same time worrying a lot about having another miscarriage and another. Some visitors who have experienced this share their stories here.

Still, this situation is fairly common, especially when it occurs in the first trimester. The good news is that most couples that have a miscarriage will go on to have a full term pregnancy when they try to get pregnant again.

A common question is when it is OK to try to get pregnant again after miscarriage? Soon after, says a new study, that you can read about here.

Getting Pregnant After Miscarriage

• New Study on Miscarriages
• When can we try again?
• Getting a second miscarriage?
• When to consult a specialist?
• YOUR stories about miscarriage and pregnancy

New Study on Miscarriages

More traditional views on miscarriages stated that a couple should wait a full six months before trying to get pregnant a second time. What a torture for a couple longing to become parents! However, recent studies have been conducted that contradict that statement. Research has found that women who are capable of getting pregnant within the six-month time frame following a miscarriage have less chances of having another miscarriage. In fact, the women who were able to get pregnant experienced fewer complications than those who waiting longer than six months to try again.

The authors of the new study conclude the following: "Our research shows that it is unnecessary for women to delay conception after a miscarriage. As such the current WHO guidelines may need to be reconsidered. In accordance with our results, women wanting to become pregnant soon after a miscarriage should not be discouraged.

There may be cases where a delay is desirable, for example if there are signs of infection, and women should be advised appropriately. Also, in a molar pregnancy, current guidelines advise delaying the next pregnancy for at least one year after treatment."

The study was published on August 5 2010 in the medical journal BMJ and you can read the study here.

When can we try again?

Well, old recommendations obviously do not take this new study into conisderation. In any case, most doctors are likely to recommend that you wait at least a couple of months after a miscarriage before attempting to get pregnant again. You need to stop bleeding, get your hormones back to normal and ensure you are emotionally ready before you attempt to have another baby.

As the above study shows however, it is probably not obvious that all women need to wait even for a couple of months. For very early miscarriages, for example, the bleeding usually stops after some 10 days or so, and ovulation isn't delayed much at all.

Talk to your OB-gyn, but make sure the person is updated on the new research.

Getting a second miscarriage?

Many couples may have been told that they are at an increased risk of miscarriage if they have already had one loss. However, this is generally not true. Over 85% of women how have one miscarriage go on to have a successful pregnancy the second time around. Those that have experienced two to three losses have a 75% chance of having a healthy baby the next time they are able to get pregnant.

When to consult a specialist?

There may be special cases where you should contact a specialist before getting pregnant after miscarriages. One example would be if you have had more than two losses in the past. Age can also determine the need for help. If you are over 35 years old, you should seek assistance from a fertility specialist. Also, if you have a chronic disease that could put you at high risk or have had other fertility problems, it would best that you spoke with someone before trying to get pregnant again.

YOUR stories about miscarriage and pregnancy

If you are struggling - or was struggling - with miscarriages and trying to conceive, you are certainly not alone! It can be a very tough situation! How are you coping? Are you? Have you succeeded with getting pregnant after miscarriage? Or not? Please share your situation with other parents around the world.

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