A miscarriage is defined as the loss of pregnancy and this usually occurs before the 20^th week. There are many factors that contribute to a miscarriage and one of the major causes is the poor development of the fetus. Sometimes, the baby’s genes or chromosomes may have abnormalities, but this is not always due to genetic predisposition. It may be due to health issues, especially when the woman has cervical or uterus problems or conditions such as uncontrolled diabetes.

If you are thinking of getting pregnant after undergoing a miscarriage, it’s normal to feel anxious. A lot of women are unsure on the right time to conceive again and today, we will be helping you understand that pregnancy after miscarriage can be healthy.

When Is the Best Time for Pregnancy After Miscarriage?

Most doctors will advise you to hold off conception for a few months and this is to strengthen your body and make sure that it can indeed support the pregnancy to full term. The uterus and endometrial lining will need some time to recover. Medically, you can conceive after having two to three normal menstrual cycles. Tests and treatments may be conducted to ensure that the cause of the miscarriage is corrected. Some doctors will recommend a longer recovery period of six months to a year as this also helps the mother mourn her loss.

Your chances of getting pregnant even after a miscarriage do not decrease and most women are 95% successful. For women who have undergone consecutive miscarriages, the pregnancy rate does decrease to 75% with multiple tries. While the major risk factors of miscarriages are health related, some women may have a higher risk factor of miscarriage for mysterious reasons. That said, tests can be undertaken to determine the cause of a miscarriage.

Pregnancy After Miscarriage--Chances of Another Miscarriage

Did you know that between 10 and 20% of all pregnancies end up as a miscarriage? Well, the numbers may be even higher because in many cases the woman is not aware that she is pregnant because they occur very early.

Usually, most women only have one miscarriage and they end up carrying healthy pregnancies to full term. Only less than 5 percent will end up having two miscarriages and only 1 percent undergo more than three successive miscarriages. If a woman has successive miscarriages, this may be due to hormonal defect, a weak cervix or uterine abnormalities. The good news is that there are medical procedures that can be undertaken to correct these problems. If you have more than one miscarriage, it’s important to consult with a medical practitioner because this increases your likelihood of suffering from yet another miscarriage.

How to Improve Chances of a Healthy Pregnancy After Miscarriage

1. Take Prenatal Vitamins

Prenatal vitamins can help and the National Women’s Health Information Center actually highlights folic acid as a vital nutrient. This is because it helps prevent neural tube defects. Studies from the University of Maryland medical Center also show that it can reduce the risk of miscarriage. If you plan on getting pregnant, it’s recommended that you start taking folic acid three months before conception at a dose of 400 mcg. Click here to learn all the important vitamins to help get pregnant. 

2. Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle

Habits such as smoking, taking recreation drugs and drinking can harm your pregnancy and increase your chances of having a miscarriage. Stress should also be limited along with your consumption of caffeinated drinks. You should not have more than two caffeinated drinks a day. Exercise is important, but do not strain your body too much, especially before pregnancy or while pregnant. Eat well and increase your intake of fruits and vegetables. British researchers found that vegetables and fresh fruit diets can decrease miscarriages by 50 percent.

3. Seek Medical Help

You must seek medical attention from an OBGYN. The doctor will evaluate your condition; undertake tests if necessary and monitor the pregnancy with progesterone level testing as well as early ultrasounds just to make sure that the pregnancy is in good shape. It’s always better to visit your doctor before you become pregnant so as to prepare for the pregnancy and provide early prenatal care.

4. Wait for the Right Time

Timing is everything and while there is no right time to conceive, you need to give the body some time to heal and also grieve the loss. In fact, researchers from the University of Aberdeen in Scotland came to the conclusion that women who became pregnant within six months had a higher chance of carrying a healthy pregnancy than those who waited longer.

5. Find Support

A support group can help you deal with the loss since to get to share your feelings and experience with people who have been in your situation or are undergoing it. If you are not comfortable sharing with a support group one on one, you can ask your caregiver to suggest other options or join an online support group such as the Pregnancy after Loss group at the BabyCenter Community.

6. Communicate with Your Partner

Both parents undergo a loss and you need to comfort each other. Men deal with loss differently and while talking usually makes women feel better, men may feel worse after talking. You need to understand how your partner mourns to support them. Most importantly, respect each other’s coping system.

A few tips on coping with pregnancy after miscarriage from a mom who’s been there: