Miscarriage is a heartbreaking experience for any woman. It can be difficult to get through, both emotionally and physically. The good news is that most women will go on to have a healthy pregnancy the next time around and the risk of multiple miscarriages occurring is low.

One question that many women have after miscarrying is "when can I try to get pregnant again?" Unfortunately, there is no one answer to this question. Every woman's body heals differently after an early pregnancy loss. However, most women will ovulate within four to eight weeks of having a miscarriage.

In this blog post, we will discuss what happens after pregnancy loss, the process of ovulation and when it might return and give you some tips on how you can increase your chances of getting pregnant again.

What happens after a miscarriage?

After an early miscarriage, your body will go through several changes. As your hormones start to settle, your fertility will return and so to your menstrual cycle. One of the most significant changes for your fertility and ability to conceive again, is that ovulation occurs. This can happen as early as two weeks after a miscarriage, but for some women, it may take between four and eight weeks.

It is also important to remember that after a pregnancy loss, as well as the physical aspects, you may also experience emotional symptoms such as grief, anger and sadness. Make sure you give yourself time to grieve for your loss before trying to conceive again.  If you need help with your emotional health, speak to your doctor or a counsellor.

How soon do menstrual cycles resume after an early pregnancy loss?

For most women, bleeding from an early miscarriage resolves within two-three weeks. The first menstrual period usually occurs four to six weeks after a miscarriage. However, some women may experience their first period as early as eight weeks post-miscarriage, while others may have to wait up to twelve weeks or longer before menstruation returns.

Though it may be frustrating to wait for your first period after miscarrying, it is important to remember that every woman's body is different and heals at its own pace.

How soon can I get pregnant after a miscarriage?

If you're trying to get pregnant after a miscarriage, you may be wondering how long you should wait before trying again. There is no right or wrong answer here. Some women feel ready to try again as soon as they ovulate, while others prefer to wait for their first period. Ultimately, the decision of when to start trying again is a personal one. It is however, advisable to wait until your miscarriage bleeding has stopped before resuming sexual intercourse.

It's possible to get pregnant immediately after a miscarriage. In fact, you can ovulate and conceive as soon as two weeks after a miscarriage. 

For most women, it takes four to eight weeks to ovulate after an early pregnancy loss. This means that you may be able to get pregnant as early as two weeks after your miscarriage. If you're trying to conceive, it's important to have sex regularly during this time.

While it's possible to get pregnant right away after a miscarriage, it's also common to experience some irregularity in your menstrual cycle. It may take a few months for your period to become regular again. This is perfectly normal and nothing to be concerned about. However, if you feel that your cycles are still not returning to normal then do speak to your healthcare provider.

How do you know when you're ovulating after pregnancy loss?

There are a few ways to tell when you're ovulating. One is to track your temperature which is a direct reflection of what your important fertility hormone, progesterone is doing.  Progesterone rises in the bloodstream after ovulation and tracking your temperature tells you when you've ovulated. This can be very reassuring after a miscarriage.

You can also track your cervical mucus. This changes throughout your cycle in response to estrogen and as you get closer to ovulation, it becomes thinner, more slippery and stretchy like raw egg whites and makes it easier for you to predict ovulation. This is your body telling you that you are either about to ovulate or are ovulating.

Understanding both the changes in your temperature and cervical mucus really help you to be empowered with your body, know when ovulation occurs and when in a cycle you can conceive.

Knowing when you are ovulating is important because it helps you time intercourse for your best chance at getting pregnant.  However to maximise sperm health, it is also important to have sex every 2-3 days throughout the cycle, if you can.

If you have any concerns about how long it's taking you to ovulate after a miscarriage, talk to your doctor. They can do some simple blood tests to check your hormone levels and make sure everything is on track. 

What are the signs of ovulation?

The most common sign of ovulation is a change in your body temperature. Your Basal Body Temperature (BBT) is your temperature when you first wake up in the morning. You can track your BBT with an oral or skin thermometer. Core body temperature is even more accurate than BBT and you can track your core body temperature with ease using a vaginal sensor overnight.

You can also track your cycles using ovulation tests, however these can be less accurate than core body temperature, especially for women with PCOS, can be more expensive over time and in a long fertility journey, can become a little overwhelming.

Other signs of ovulation can include changes in your cervical mucus, light spotting at the time of ovulation, ovulatory pain and breast tenderness.

What are the risk factors of a miscarriage and why do women miscarry?

There are many possible causes of a miscarriage, but the most common include:

Hormonal problems

Imbalance in levels of progesterone (a hormone needed to sustain pregnancy) or thyroid hormone may contribute to early pregnancy loss.

Infection

Bacteria, viruses or other infectious agents might play a role, especially if they damage the placenta.

Chromosomal abnormalities

Most miscarriages occur because the fetus has a chromosomal abnormality that prevents it from developing normally.

Uterine problems

Fibroids (noncancerous growths in the wall of the uterus) or other structural abnormalities of the uterus can make miscarrying more likely.

Lifestyle choices

Smoking, drinking alcohol and using illegal drugs all increase the risk of miscarrying. Being overweight or underweight also might play a role.

Age

A woman's risk of miscarrying goes up with age, especially after age 35.

Previous miscarriages

Having had one or more previous miscarriages increases the risk of miscarrying again.

Medical conditions

Diabetes, autoimmune disorders, genetic disorders, and certain thyroid problems can make miscarrying more likely. Women with polycystic ovarian syndrome may also have an increased risk of miscarriage.

Exposure to certain chemicals or medications

Chemicals that might increase the risk include pesticides and herbicides. Medications that might play a role include some types of antidepressants and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

If you are concerned about any of these risk factors and how this might impact on pregnancy after miscarriage, speak to your doctor.

Why do repeated miscarriages occur?

There are many possible reasons why someone might experience repeated miscarriages. Similar to the reasons anyone may experience a miscarriage, one possibility is an issue with the chromosomes of the developing fetus. This is known as recurrent chromosomal abnormality and it occurs in about 50-60% of cases of recurrent miscarriage.

Other causes could be hormonal problems, immunological factors, uterine abnormalities, or a combination of these factors.

In some cases, the cause of recurrent miscarriage is never determined. However, research has shown that 60% of women who experience three or more consecutive miscarriages will go on to have a successful pregnancy.

If you've experienced multiple miscarriages, know that you are not alone and there is hope for a future healthy pregnancy.

If you have experienced two consecutive miscarriages, take the opportunity to discuss this with your doctor to see if a medical reason for your pregnancy loss can be found and how they may be able to help.

How can I increase my chances of a future pregnancy after a miscarriage and having a healthy baby?

There's no one answer to this question since every woman and every pregnancy is different. However, there are some things you can do to improve your chances of getting pregnant again after miscarrying and avoid any adverse pregnancy outcomes.

When trying to conceive, it's important to live a healthy lifestyle. This means eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly, and getting enough rest.

It is also recommended to avoid alcohol, smoking and recreational drugs and where possible keeping your BMI at a healthy level.  All of these things will help your body to be in the best possible shape for conception.

All women when they are trying to conceive should take a daily dose of folic acid and vitamin D. This is because folic acid can help to prevent birth defects and vitamin D  is essential for the absorption of calcium, which is needed to support the bone growth of the baby.

FAQs

How long does ovulation last?

Ovulation typically lasts for 12 to 48 hours, but it can vary from woman to woman. You’re most likely to get pregnant if you have sex within 24 hours of ovulation.

Can you ovulate without having a period?

Yes, it’s possible to ovulate without having a period. This can happen if you have a short menstrual cycle, or if you miss a period for another reason, such as stress or excessive exercise. If you’re not sure whether you’ve ovulated, your doctor can order a blood test to check for the presence of the hormone progesterone.

What are the chances of getting pregnant after a miscarriage?

The chances of getting pregnant after a miscarriage depend on many factors, such as your age and how many miscarriages you’ve had. In general, however, your chance of conceiving again is about 50 percent if you’ve had one miscarriage, and 65 to 80 percent if you’ve had two miscarriages.

Getting help with viO

If you’re trying to conceive after a miscarriage, take your time starting again to allow your body to recover physically and for you to feel emotionally ready.

Optimise your chances of conceiving again following a miscarriage and having a successful pregnancy with a healthy lifestyle and taking the right supplements for you.

Finally, get empowered with your body by tracking ovulation and predicting ovulation so you know when your fertile window is. If you have had a missed miscarriage, there is still hope for getting pregnant again. viO's OvuFirst Wearable Fertility Monitor can help to get pregnant again after a miscarriage, by detecting your ovulation date and fertile window to time sexual intercourse. We wish you all the best on your fertility journey and your future pregnancy!