The effects of miscarriage depend a lot on how far along you were at the time of the loss. Technically, the term “miscarriage” only applies to the loss of a pregnancy before the 20-week mark. Pregnancy losses after this date are considered “stillbirths.” Experts believe that around half of all miscarriages are due to chromosomal defects in the baby that result in an unviable pregnancy.
Many women who experience a miscarriage may not have even realized they were pregnant. Pregnancy tests may not show a positive result until several weeks into the pregnancy. For women who haven’t confirmed that they’re pregnant, a miscarriage may seem like a late and slightly heavier-than-normal period.
An early miscarriage (before 12 weeks) may feel very much like a regular period, with possibly heavier bleeding and a few clots. The bleeding could last up to a week, and it can take anywhere from four to six weeks for your regular menstrual cycle to resume.
Most women will experience cramps for a few days during and after the miscarriage. Some women may have tender breasts that may feel swollen or even leak after the loss, but this is most common in later miscarriages.It’s important for all of the tissue to be expelled after a miscarriage to avoid the risk of infection. You can minimize this risk by using pads instead of tampons and avoiding baths, or hot tubs until the bleeding has stopped and you have been examined by a doctor. Some women may need a dilation and curettage, commonly known as a “D&C” procedure, to ensure all the tissue is removed.
Emotionally, you may find yourself experiencing a variety of feelings including grief, disappointment, disbelief, anger, and anxiety about getting pregnant again or experiencing another loss. It’s important to understand that the loss of a pregnancy may also be the loss of a lot of excitement, plans, preparations, and expectations. It’s a very real loss and should be treated as such. Talking with a counselor or therapist who specializes in grief counseling may help you recover your mental and emotional health more quickly.When it comes to getting pregnant after a miscarriage, there is no set waiting period. Technically, you can get pregnant as soon as your next ovulatory cycle begins. Assuming you are physically and emotionally recovered from the miscarriage, there’s no medical reason why you would need to wait. In fact, one study found that women who conceive within six months of a miscarriage have a lower chance of complications or another miscarriage than women who wait longer.However, many healthcare providers recommend women to wait a few months so that their bodies are ready to support a new pregnancy. Otherwise, they may be at risk of having another miscarriage.
One of the things you may be worrying about after a miscarriage is how likely you are to lose the next pregnancy. While the chance of any pregnancy resulting in a miscarriage is about 15 percent, only 1 percent of women experience repeated miscarriages. However, if you’ve had two consecutive miscarriages, your chance of miscarrying again increases to about 28 percent. This increases further to 43 percent after 3 or more back-to-back miscarriages. While these numbers can seem scary, for most women a miscarriage is a one-time event, and one miscarriage doesn’t increase your chances of having another.
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