Pregnancy after miscarriage: What to expect?
Miscarriage can be a very uneasy situation for any couple. The pregnancy loss is especially difficult for the mother-to-be. Couples who have suffered from a single or multiple miscarriages, can have a lot of apprehensions and doubts about their subsequent pregnancies.
What to do after early pregnancy miscarriage? How to have a successful pregnancy after miscarriage? How to plan pregnancy after miscarriage? How to prepare body for pregnancy after miscarriage? When can I plan for pregnancy after miscarriage? Etc.
These are some of the questions that occupies the couples' minds who have undergone miscarriage earlier. In this article, we will discuss about pregnancy after miscarriage. We will try to answer all the questions that patients have for a successful pregnancy after miscarriage.
Table of Content
Feel free to skip ahead if one topic catches your eye:
- Common reasons of miscarriage
- How to handle miscarriage emotionally and Physically?
- How to Plan your Pregnancy after miscarriage?
- What can you do to prevent future miscarriage?
1. Common reasons of miscarriage
A miscarriage is defined as the spontaneous loss of pregnancy before the age of viability (the time before the foetus is not capable of independent existence). This is usually estimated at 24 weeks in India. Miscarriages are a relatively common situation in India. They are most common in the first trimester or the first 3 months of the pregnancy.
Before discussing about the various ways and the procedures for preparing body for pregnancy after miscarriage, it is important to know about the different common causes of miscarriage in females.
Some of these include the following:
- Genetic defects in the foetus
- Medical conditions in the woman
- Infections
- Vitamin deficiencies
- Uterine abnormalities
- Cervical incompetence
- Age of the woman
- Lifestyle choices, etc
Genetic defects in the foetus
All the gametes formed by the male and female are not healthy gametes. Some of these can also be defective cells with improper genetic material. When these gametes fertilise, resultant zygote does not have the correct genome, compatible with life.
Such pregnancy will end up in spontaneous miscarriage.
Medical conditions in the woman
The overall health of the female is very important for the growth and development of the foetus. Maternal diseases like Diabetes, Hypertension (raised BP), Thyroid problems, etc are known to cause miscarriage in many women.
| Also Read: Hypertension in Pregnancy? |
Infections
Infections are another common cause of miscarriage in women. High grade fever on the first trimester can lead to pregnancy loss. Many infections like Syphilis, Toxoplasmosis, Rubella, etc are known to cause miscarriage in women.
Vitamin deficiencies
Deficiencies of vitamins like Folic Acid, Vitamin B12 can lead to neurological defects in the foetus and also miscarriages.
Uterine abnormalities
Some women may suffer from certain uterine abnormalities or issues like fibroids that do not provide a good growing environment to the baby, which eventually leads to loss of pregnancy.
Cervical incompetence
Opening of the cervix remains closed throughout the pregnancy and opens up during the time of labor. Cervical Incompetence is the phenomena when the cervix opens prematurely and thus leads to the expulsion of the foetus, terminating the pregnancy.
Age of the woman
Women who get pregnant above the age of 35 years are at a higher risk of suffering from miscarriages.
Lifestyle choices
Alcohol consumption or smoking during the pregnancy is often seen to cause miscarriage in women. Exposure to other chemicals and harmful radiations may also lead to miscarriages.
2. How to handle miscarriage emotionally and Physically?
If you experience any symptoms of miscarriage like vaginal bleeding or abdominal pain, report to your obstetrician immediately. If you are suffering from a miscarriage, then it is very important that all products of conception are removed from your uterus or it can result in severe infection in the body.
Different medications or procedures may be required to completely remove all the products. You might also experience vaginal bleeding during this process.
This whole procedure can make you feel a bit weak and lethargic. Coupled with the emotional trauma, all this can become too much for the female. It is very important that you have a strong emotional support. The husband and the families should understand the situation and empathise with the woman. She would require all the physical and emotional support from the family's side.
Apart from this, it is essential that the female eats and rests well. The woman should eat fresh, home cooked balanced meals and avoid eating junk. All the medicines and the vitamins prescribed by the doctors should be taken on time to regain physical strength.
You might not be able to go back to your normal activities immediately after the miscarriage. You should try and do easy exercises and refrain from putting stress on your body by intense workouts or sexual intercourse. It is best to wait for at least 3 months before trying for a baby again.
Realise the fact that the emotions and pain you are feeling are real and you can and should ask for help. Turn to your partner for emotional support and have an open communication about your feelings (as he might also be grieving for the loss). You can also opt for professional help if you feel the need for it. Do not hesitate in asking for help whatever way you require and do not bottle up your feelings. This is crucial for moving on from this mishap.
3. How to Plan your Pregnancy after miscarriage?
During the time, you are recovering from the miscarriage, you and your doctor will also be working on finding out the cause of miscarriage. Figuring out the exact reason for your misccariage is very important to prevent this in the future.
Your doctor would ask to conduct a number of blood tests and radiological investigations for you to find out the cause.
These include tests for :
- Diabetes
- Hypertension
- Thyroid problems
- Infection screening (TORCH screen)
- Uterine abnormalities, etc
Once the specific cause is known, it will be treated before you start trying for a baby. The exact treatment will depend on the cause of miscarriage like if you have Diabetes, your blood sugar will be controlled or if you suffer from High BP, then that will be brought to normal using medications, etc.
| Also Read: Diabetes in Pregnancy |
In some cases, the specific cause of miscarriage can't be found.
It is important that you maintain an optimistic spirit throughout the process and completely trust your doctor. This is why you should only choose the top gynecologist doctor in Delhi.
Stress and anxiety after miscarriage is common but stress and anxiety can also lead to problems like formation of defective gametes, etc. So try to be calm throughout. You can do meditation and yoga to have a calm mind and these will also help in proper growth of the baby when you get pregnant. Also keep in mind that the pregnancy after miscarriage feels different.
Be regular and compliant with all the medications that are prescribed to you by your doctor.
4. What can you do to prevent future miscarriage?
There are certain things that you can do to prevent any future miscarriage. These include:
- Managing your stress levels.
- Eating good, balanced diets.
- Regularly taking all your medicines and vitamins.
- Doing mild exercises regularly.
- Keeping your weight in check.
- Refrain from smoking (stay away from passive smoke as well), alcohol consumption, or other illicit drugs.
- Avoid too much caffeine.
Take Away
This was a brief article on miscarriage and pregnancy after that. For further information, contact a qualified professional who will be able to guide you better.
Dr. Puja Sharma is an obstetrician in Delhi who has vast experience and knowledge to help patients get pregnant after miscarriages. Many of her patients have even had successful pregnancy after 3 miscarriages. She is the best doctor for management of recurrent pregnancy loss. Consult her for a successful pregnancy outcome even after previous multiple marriages.
At Dr. Puja’s Clinic, you will get the best treatment with comfort and care at an affordable price.
