Am I Ready? Getting Pregnant After Miscarriage

Two Sides

You received the happy news that you were pregnant, and then, almost as fast as you found your life changed by the simple words, "You're pregnant," you discovered that your baby's life was over before it began. You yearn to go back in time but this is impossible, so you consider the next best thing: trying again. But are you really ready? You need to consider that there are two sides to the equation, the physical and the emotional side of becoming pregnant after a miscarriage.

As to the physical aspect of a second go at pregnancy, it's appropriate to allow some time to elapse in order to give your uterus a chance to recover. Your endometrial lining needs to rebuild itself in order to have strength enough to support a developing embryo. It's considered safe to conceive again after you've had two or three normal menstrual periods. This is a good sign that your body has recovered from the abbreviated pregnancy and your miscarriage. Sometimes a physician will order diagnostic testing to determine the cause of your miscarriage. If this is the case, it's best to wait until all the tests are completed and your doctor has weighed in on the advisability of getting pregnant again.

Long Wait

There are doctors who recommend their patients wait between six months and one year before trying to conceive after a miscarriage. The long wait is for the purpose of coming to terms with your loss. Other doctors may feel there's no real reason for a couple to wait as long as they're anxious to try again.

As far as concerns over the risk for recurrent miscarriage, it may be reassuring for you to consider that as many as 85% of women who have miscarried will have no difficulty carrying their next pregnancy to term. In women who have suffered two or more such losses, the rate of healthy pregnancy and delivery is still an encouraging figure of 75%. If necessary, your physician can give you a reference to a specialist in the field of maternal-fetal medicine, reproductive endocrinology, or genetics. These specialists can provide assistance that will increase your chances of delivering a healthy baby. This type of expertise is worth seeking if you've had two or more miscarriages, are over the age of 35, have an illness that can have an adverse affect on pregnancy, for instance diabetes, or have had prior fertility issues.