I have had 2 miscarriages in the past 2 months. How long should we wait to try again?

(February 23, 2010)

Losing a baby can be traumatic, however early it happens in a pregnancy. There are more emotional complications like miscarriage grief and depression to deal with than physical complications. Therefore, one of the prime factors to be taken into account is your emotional preparedness to conceive again.

The next important thing to factor in is your menstruation cycle. In case of multiple miscarriages, it is advisable to conduct tests to determine the cause of the recurring miscarriages.

Biologically, you are ready for childbirth once your menstrual cycle is normal. However, after a miscarriage, it can be hard to predict exactly when the cycle will resume. If the miscarriage was uncomplicated, you should get your period within five or six weeks of the miscarriage; however if you have miscarried twice in two months, it could take longer.

When you get pregnant, your body produces a hormone called hCG. This is a pregnancy hormone that suppresses the production of hormones from the pituitary gland, which are responsible for ovulation. In fact, your standard home pregnancy test is aimed at detecting this hormone. Naturally, after you miscarry, the hCG level in your body drops. However, your cycles will not resume until this level drops to zero. hCG suppression is said to take about two weeks, but essentially, the length of time required for the complete suppression of hCG depends on the level at the time of miscarriage.

If both your miscarriages were spontaneous and did not cause excess bleeding, then chances are you will begin to ovulate within four weeks. In most cases, a miscarriage is complete, ensuring there are no lasting effects on subsequent pregnancies. You only need to be concerned if there are symptoms of uterine infection like bleeding, cramping, fever, and vaginal discharge.

Normal cycle resumption also depends on how far along you were in your pregnancy. Early miscarriages - within four to six weeks, rarely cause permanent harm.

Nonetheless, if in the course of your miscarriage there was any curettage or any residual pregnant tissue remaining in the uterus, it could cause continual bleeding, which in turn can delay the fall of hCG levels in your body and hence, delay your menstrual cycles.

Even if your cycles resume after four or six weeks after your miscarriage, it is advisable to wait for a cycle or two to pass before trying to conceive again. This way you can be completely reassured that there are no physical complications from the miscarriage.

If you have had repeat miscarriages, the doctor may recommend taking you basal body temperature as well as recommend cervical mucus monitoring to determine when you would ovulate.

Usually, if your periods are regular and you have been having unprotected intercourse, it is most likely that you will conceive within a year, despite a miscarriage. However, if you aren't conceiving despite having regular cycles and ovulation, then you should consult your doctor.

After a miscarriage, the wisest thing to do is to consult a doctor to determine the cause of the miscarriage. All too often, the tendency is to rush into another pregnancy and if the cause is an underlying secondary condition, it could lead to another miscarriage. Therefore, it is necessary to be cautious and take appropriate steps to avoid another miscarriage.

Submitted by P T on February 23, 2010 at 10:48

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