Having a miscarriage seldom affects your ability to get pregnant again. A bigger concern for couples is whether they will have another miscarriage the next time they get pregnant.
Let’s begin by saying there’s a very good chance you will have a successful pregnancy after your first miscarriage. For most women, a miscarriage happens once and then they go on to have a full-term pregnancy and deliver a healthy baby.
But it’s still important to consult with Fangyin Meng, MD, PhD, before you try to get pregnant again. She specializes in helping you understand why you had a miscarriage and when you should try to get pregnant again. She also has extensive experience performing in-office tests when needed to find answers and help you have a safe, successful pregnancy.
If you have any questions or worries about miscarriage, call our office in Irvine, California. In the meantime, this post gives you the basics about miscarriage.
Why miscarriage occurs
While it’s hard to accept, miscarriage is often a random event. It does not happen because you exercise or you’re under stress, having sex, or have morning sickness. Miscarriages most often occur because something happens that changes the number of chromosomes in the embryo.
Chromosomal problems happen when an egg or sperm has the wrong number of chromosomes or something goes wrong in the early stages of embryo development. As a result, the embryo has an abnormal number of chromosomes and you have a miscarriage.
Having an extra or missing chromosome often happens by chance. However, as men and women get older, they’re more likely to have abnormal chromosomes.
Physical problems that are unrelated to chromosomal abnormalities can also cause a miscarriage, including:
- Poorly controlled diabetes
- Thyroid disease
- Autoimmune disease
- Hormonal imbalances
- Polycystic ovary syndrome
- Uterine fibroids
We identify any underlying problems that may contribute to a future miscarriage and treat the condition before you try to get pregnant again.
Odds of having another miscarriage
Only 20% of women have a second miscarriage. However, having two consecutive miscarriages increases your risk of future miscarriages. About 28% of women who have two miscarriages go on to have a third early pregnancy loss. And after three or more, 43% of women have additional miscarriages.
The fact that your risk dramatically rises after three miscarriages highlights the importance of getting a thorough evaluation before getting pregnant again. We take proactive steps to prevent a second or third miscarriage.
With the goal of determining the cause of your miscarriage, we may perform a wide range of tests, such as:
- Blood tests
- Chromosomal tests
- Ultrasound
- Hysteroscopy
- Hysterosalpingography
- Sonohysterography
In addition to identifying hormonal and chromosomal problems, these tests allow us to evaluate the inside and outside of your uterus and learn if uterine abnormalities or conditions caused your miscarriage.
Getting pregnant after a miscarriage
After you have a miscarriage, your body quickly returns to its normal reproductive cycle. You can ovulate and get pregnant again as early as two weeks after an early pregnancy loss.
It takes longer for your body to restore a normal menstrual cycle. As a result, you could get pregnant before you have another period.
However, that doesn’t mean you should get pregnant right away. As we already mentioned, you should consider having a full evaluation so we can treat problems that may contribute to another miscarriage before you get pregnant.
You can also lower your risk of having another miscarriage by waiting a few months before trying to get pregnant. If you had a dilation and curettage (D and C) procedure after your miscarriage, you’ll definitely need to wait several months to give your uterus time to heal.
If you need compassionate care after a miscarriage, call Fangyin Meng, MD, PhD, or request an appointment online today.