Need helpful information about fertility after miscarriage? If you’ve had a miscarriage, you may wonder if and when you’ll ever get pregnant and have a baby
Relax! Fertility after miscarriage is very common for many women who successfully get pregnant again and have children. In fact, it may surprise you to learn that most couples who had a miscarriage go on to have successful pregnancies
Miscarriage – a common and natural occurrence
Miscarriage, the most common form of pregnancy loss, happens before 20 weeks gestation. Most doctors see miscarriage as an ordinary and natural occurrence.
According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), miscarriage happens to 10 to 25 percent of all clinically recognized pregnancies. Most miscarriages occur during the first trimester (13 weeks). Sometimes a miscarriage occurs, and you didn’t even know you were pregnant. As the pregnancy progresses the risk of miscarriage decreases.
Still, if you’ve lost a baby, you may feel tremendous grief and wonder if fertility after miscarriage is even possible.
The causes of miscarriage differ
Early first trimester miscarriages usually have genetic or hormonal causes. Uterine abnormalities may cause later first trimester losses (miscarriages after eight weeks).
In the second trimester, miscarriages may be linked to chronic diseases or problems with the placental-maternal unit. Sometimes genetic problems are possible.
Hypertension or diabetes is related to miscarriages during the third trimester.
Miscarriage and fertility therapy
Miscarriage is more likely when ovulation occurs after day 16. Sometimes fertility drugs can lead to miscarriage. But it’s probably not the drug that triggered the miscarriage. Rather, it’s because the woman moved up on the continuum from infertility to pregnancy to having a healthy baby.
Can a miscarriage be prevented?
Most often, once you get pregnant, very little can be done to change its course. This is less true if you are in your second or third trimester when other problems may have treatments.
The chances of fertility after miscarriage
The chances of fertility after miscarriage are good to excellent. Generally, the risk of a second loss is only slightly higher after a single loss.
The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists (ACOG) now recommends testing after a second loss -- especially for women over the age of thirty-five. A recent study has shown that a high percentage of patients that conceive and miscarry during fertility therapy will subsequently have a healthy baby.
The good news is that about 80 percent of couples with two miscarriages and 50 to 60 percent of couples after four losses still will enjoy fertility after miscarriage. In one study, 8 of 17 women with six or more repeated miscarriages subsequently had successful pregnancies.
When can we try again?
Emotionally, you should try to get pregnant as soon as you can and accept the possibility of miscarriage. While there are no guarantees of fertility after miscarriage, there are no guarantees of failure to get pregnant.
Medically, doctors usually recommend waiting at least one normal menstrual cycle, if you had an early first trimester miscarriage. If the pregnancy was in the later stages of the first trimester, you may want to wait two cycles. Second trimester losses may require three months before you try again. Your HCG blood titer should be followed to zero.
See your doctor regularly, eat a balanced diet, get plenty of rest and avoid alcohol and smoking — as both are risk factors for miscarriage.
If you’re worried about fertility after miscarriage, talk with your doctor about prevention. While you cannot control many risk factors for miscarriage, you can take good care of yourself and your baby.
Sources: Mayo Clinic: Early Miscarriage: Is stress a factor? American Pregnancy Association: “Miscarriage.” March of Dimes: “Miscarriage.” Michels, T.C. and Tiu, A.Y. Second Trimester Pregnancy Loss. American Family Physician, volume 76, number 9, November 1, 2007, pages 1341-1346. Clifford, K, Rai, R, Regan, L. Future pregnancy outcome in unexplained recurrent first trimester miscarriage. Hum Reprod 1997; 12:387. Bruce, D, Thatcher, S. Making a Baby.
