After a miscarriage, making the decision to try for another pregnancy can be difficult. It is natural to want to become pregnant again right away after going through the heartache of losing a baby. However, you should wait to attempt again until you are physically, as well as emotionally ready.
Getting pregnant after a miscarriage
There is no perfect amount of time to wait before trying to conceive again, but many healthcare providers encourage woman to wait at least a few months to strengthen the chance of a healthy pregnancy. If a woman’s body isn’t ready to support a pregnancy by the time that she conceives again, she faces an increased risk of experiencing a repeat miscarriage. It takes time for the uterus to recover and for the endometrial lining to become strong and healthy again.
Medically, it is safe to conceive after two or three normal menstrual periods if tests or treatments for the cause of the miscarriage are not being done. Some physicians routinely recommend that couples wait six months to a year before attempting another pregnancy in order to come to terms with their loss, whereas other physicians feel there is no compelling reason to wait so long.
What are the chances of having another miscarriage?
Many couples who experience a miscarriage worry that it will happen again. Fortunately, at least 85% of women who have had one loss will go on to have a successful pregnancy the next time, as will 75% of those who have experienced two or three losses.
When should a specialist be consulted before attempting to get pregnant again?
Your health care provider can refer you to the appropriate specialist in maternal-fetal medicine, genetics, or reproductive endocrinology who can help you have the best treatment to
increase the chances of a healthy pregnancy.
You may want to consider seeking help if you:
- Have had two or more miscarriages
- Are over age 35
- Have an illness that may affect your pregnancy (such as diabetes)
- Have experienced fertility issues
How do we decide when to try again?
Deciding when to try again is a decision only you as a couple can make. Another pregnancy won’t replace the lost pregnancy but may help you by refocusing your attention. If there were medical complications with your miscarriage, make sure to discuss the plans to try again with your health care provider first.
How soon after a miscarriage can you get pregnant?
Your next pregnancy might not be as joyful as you would like because you’ve learned that life doesn’t always go according to your plans. You can’t say it’s your first, but it is also difficult to say you are a parent.
The following are recommendations to make this time a little easier:
- Ask that your pregnancy be monitored carefully.
- You may want to avoid early preparation for the baby’s arrival. Some couples find it helpful to request that baby showers be held until after the arrival of the baby.
- Some people will make suggestions about what you should do or not do to make this pregnancy successful because they are also invested emotionally in your pregnancy. The easiest way to handle their suggestions is to listen, and then do whatever you, your partner, and the medical team feel is best.
- Your birth experience might be bittersweet because memories may resurface about your loss. You will probably need to do some grieving in addition to celebrating your new baby.
- Your parenting may be influenced by your past loss so moments of panic might occur, especially when the new baby is ill, or too quiet.
- You may feel the need to protect yourself from more sorrow so you might be cautious bonding with your new baby until you’re certain he or she is safe and healthy.
- If you feel you are struggling, speak to your healthcare provider about possible support groups or counselors who could help you through this difficult time.
Want to Know More?
- After a Miscarriage: Surviving Emotionally
- Our Ultimate Fertility Resource Guide provides the information you need on fertility, tips on how to get pregnant faster, and how to boost fertility through sometimes simple tweaks to your lifestyle and approach. The guide is easy to read and meant for anybody wanting to increase their ability to conceive. It’s a free download and includes coupon codes for essential products. Even free Nightfood Nighttime Ice Cream.
Compiled using information from the following sources:
Pregnancy, Childbirth and the Newborn: The Complete Guide. Simkin, Penny, P.T., et al, Ch. 3.
Miscarriage Support Aukland Inc, //www.miscarriagesupport.org.nz
Losing your baby at any stage can be devastating, and the fear of it happening again may tempt you to forgo trying to have another child. Fear, anxiety and dread are all normal responses after a period of loss and grief.
But if you're committed to having a baby and want to try getting pregnant after a miscarriage or other pregnancy loss, you might have some questions about what to expect, and what you might be able to do to control your anxiety and remain optimistic. Here are some answers that can help.
How soon after a miscarriage can you get pregnant?
Health care providers used to recommend waiting a number of months before trying to get pregnant again after a miscarriage, medical loss or stillbirth. They’ve learned, though, that the uterus is remarkably good at recovering from a miscarriage, and most doctors now say it’s okay to try again as soon as you're ready.
But check with your practitioner about your specific situation — if there’s scarring in your uterus, pieces of placenta left behind or significant blood loss, your doctor might recommend a longer wait.
That’s not to say every woman feels okay about trying again as soon as her body is ready. Going through a miscarriage can be hard, and it’s normal to want to process your emotions and grieve your loss before giving pregnancy another shot.
Even if your doctor has given you the green light, take as much time as you need.
Is it easier to get pregnant after a miscarriage?
There’s nothing about having a miscarriage that inherently makes it easier to get pregnant in the future.
But you can take the opportunity to treat any underlying causes or improve lifestyle risk factors that may have contributed to your miscarriage. And taking those steps could improve your chances for a healthy pregnancy and baby.
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Is it normal to be scared or anxious about getting pregnant after a miscarriage?
Yes, absolutely. Going through a miscarriage or other kind of pregnancy loss can be devastating, and many women worry that they might not be able to conceive again. Or if they do, they're scared that they’ll end up losing another pregnancy.
But know this: Most women who have a miscarriage, stillbirth or medical loss go on to get pregnant again and have healthy babies.
Hard though it might be, try to remember that what lies ahead on your journey to conceive is different from what came before, and losing one pregnancy in no way means that you’ll lose another.
Tips on getting pregnant after a miscarriage
When you’re ready to try again, there are plenty of steps you can take to support your efforts to conceive and have a healthy pregnancy:
Address any underlying health problems. Get a complete preconception checkup if you haven’t already. When untreated, health problems like diabetes, high blood pressure, thyroid problems and STDs can make it harder to get pregnant.
Achieve or maintain a healthy weight. Being under- or overweight can slightly increase the chance for miscarriage.
Try to manage your stress. Very high stress might make it harder to get pregnant. If you’re feeling really anxious or tense, try to find ways to relax. Exercising, yoga or meditation, deep breathing, visualization and even acupuncture can all be beneficial. If you’re having trouble managing your stress levels on your own, consider talking to a professional.
Look at your caffeine and alcohol intake. Stick to 200 mg of caffeine or less daily (the amount in 12 ounces of brewed coffee or two shots of espresso), since high caffeine intake could potentially up the risk of miscarriage. If you drink, cut out the booze. Alcohol can negatively affect fertility, and it may increase the chances of having a miscarriage.
If you smoke, quit. Try your best to steer clear of second- or third-hand smoke too. You and your partner, if you have one, should also steer clear of marijuana since some studies show it may interfere with both male and female fertility.
If you’ve had a miscarriage before, is it more likely you’ll have another miscarriage when you get pregnant again?
Probably not. If you’ve had one miscarriage, your chances of having another are the same as a woman who hasn’t miscarried before. In other words, it’s very, very likely that you’ll go on to have a healthy pregnancy.
There’s still a high likelihood that you’ll go on to have a healthy pregnancy even if you’ve had multiple miscarriages. If you’ve miscarried twice, you have about a 75 percent chance of carrying your pregnancy to term. If you’ve miscarried three or four times, the odds are around 60 percent.
Support for women who are trying to get pregnant or are already pregnant after a miscarriage
Miscarriages and other pregnancy losses can bring up complex emotions, even once you’ve decided to try conceiving again or you’ve already gotten pregnant. Talking with others can make it easier to process your feelings and remind you that you’re not going through this alone.
Start by telling your partner what’s on your mind — remember, you’re in this together.
Try talking to others who’ve suffered losses and have gone on to have healthy pregnancies too. Friends and family members who miscarried have been in your shoes and will understand what you’re dealing with. The same is true of women in a local support group or online community in terms of offering help and comfort to those who are trying to conceive after a miscarriage.
If you feel like you’re alone or aren’t getting the emotional support you need, consider talking to your doctor, who might be able to refer you to a therapist specializing in recovery after a pregnancy loss.
When to call the doctor about getting pregnant after a miscarriage
After a miscarriage or other loss, it’s always worth getting the green light from your doctor before trying again to get pregnant. Your OB/GYN or midwife can confirm whether your body is ready and help you address any issues that may have played a role in your miscarriage.
If you’re overweight or you have a lot of stress, for instance, your practitioner might recommend losing weight or finding ways to relax.
It’s especially important to talk with your doctor if you’ve had two or more miscarriages. In that case, you may be a candidate for certain hormone tests, blood tests, chromosomal tests or a uterine exam to find out if there’s an underlying health problem affecting your ability to have a healthy pregnancy.
It’s normal to worry about your ability to get pregnant or have a healthy pregnancy after a miscarriage. The good news is that most women go on to conceive and carry their baby to term. There’s absolutely no need to rush into trying again, so give yourself time to grieve your loss.
But when you’re ready, get the go-ahead from your doctor and lean on your partner if you have one, your family, your friends, and others in your life for emotional support. And try to keep a positive outlook: The odds of having a healthy pregnancy in the future are in your favor.
From the What to Expect editorial team and Heidi Murkoff, author of What to Expect When You're Expecting. What to Expect follows strict reporting guidelines and uses only credible sources, such as peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions and highly respected health organizations. Learn how we keep our content accurate and up-to-date by reading our medical review and editorial policy.
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