Is it easier to get pregnant after having a miscarriage

Losing your baby at any stage can be devastating, and the fear of it happening again may tempt you to forgo trying to have another child. Fear, anxiety and dread are all normal responses after a period of loss and grief.

But if you're committed to having a baby and want to try getting pregnant after a miscarriage or other pregnancy loss, you might have some questions about what to expect, and what you might be able to do to control your anxiety and remain optimistic. Here are some answers that can help. 

How soon after a miscarriage can you get pregnant?

Health care providers used to recommend waiting a number of months before trying to get pregnant again after a miscarriage, medical loss or stillbirth. They’ve learned, though, that the uterus is remarkably good at recovering from a miscarriage, and most doctors now say it’s okay to try again as soon as you're ready.

But check with your practitioner about your specific situation — if there’s scarring in your uterus, pieces of placenta left behind or significant blood loss, your doctor might recommend a longer wait.

That’s not to say every woman feels okay about trying again as soon as her body is ready. Going through a miscarriage can be hard, and it’s normal to want to process your emotions and grieve your loss before giving pregnancy another shot.

Even if your doctor has given you the green light, take as much time as you need. 

Is it easier to get pregnant after a miscarriage?

There’s nothing about having a miscarriage that inherently makes it easier to get pregnant in the future.

But you can take the opportunity to treat any underlying causes or improve lifestyle risk factors that may have contributed to your miscarriage. And taking those steps could improve your chances for a healthy pregnancy and baby.

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Is it normal to be scared or anxious about getting pregnant after a miscarriage?

Yes, absolutely. Going through a miscarriage or other kind of pregnancy loss can be devastating, and many women worry that they might not be able to conceive again. Or if they do, they're scared that they’ll end up losing another pregnancy.

But know this: Most women who have a miscarriage, stillbirth or medical loss go on to get pregnant again and have healthy babies.

Hard though it might be, try to remember that what lies ahead on your journey to conceive is different from what came before, and losing one pregnancy in no way means that you’ll lose another.  

Tips on getting pregnant after a miscarriage

When you’re ready to try again, there are plenty of steps you can take to support your efforts to conceive and have a healthy pregnancy:

• Address any underlying health problems. Get a complete preconception checkup if you haven’t already. When untreated, health problems like diabetes, high blood pressure, thyroid problems and STDs can make it harder to get pregnant. 

• Achieve or maintain a healthy weight. Being under- or overweight can slightly increase the chance for miscarriage. 

• Try to manage your stress. Very high stress might make it harder to get pregnant. If you’re feeling really anxious or tense, try to find ways to relax. Exercising, yoga or meditation, deep breathing, visualization and even acupuncture can all be beneficial. If you’re having trouble managing your stress levels on your own, consider talking to a professional. 

• Look at your caffeine and alcohol intake. Stick to 200 mg of caffeine or less daily (the amount in 12 ounces of brewed coffee or two shots of espresso), since high caffeine intake could potentially up the risk of miscarriage. If you drink, cut out the booze. Alcohol can negatively affect fertility, and it may increase the chances of having a miscarriage.

• If you smoke, quit. Try your best to steer clear of second- or third-hand smoke too. You and your partner, if you have one, should also steer clear of marijuana since some studies show it may interfere with both male and female fertility.

If you’ve had a miscarriage before, is it more likely you’ll have another miscarriage when you get pregnant again?

Probably not. If you’ve had one miscarriage, your chances of having another are the same as a woman who hasn’t miscarried before. In other words, it’s very, very likely that you’ll go on to have a healthy pregnancy.

There’s still a high likelihood that you’ll go on to have a healthy pregnancy even if you’ve had multiple miscarriages. If you’ve miscarried twice, you have about a 75 percent chance of carrying your pregnancy to term. If you’ve miscarried three or four times, the odds are around 60 percent.   

Support for women who are trying to get pregnant or are already pregnant after a miscarriage

Miscarriages and other pregnancy losses can bring up complex emotions, even once you’ve decided to try conceiving again or you’ve already gotten pregnant. Talking with others can make it easier to process your feelings and remind you that you’re not going through this alone. 

Start by telling your partner what’s on your mind — remember, you’re in this together.

Try talking to others who’ve suffered losses and have gone on to have healthy pregnancies too. Friends and family members who miscarried have been in your shoes and will understand what you’re dealing with. The same is true of women in a local support group or online community in terms of offering help and comfort to those who are trying to conceive after a miscarriage.

If you feel like you’re alone or aren’t getting the emotional support you need, consider talking to your doctor, who might be able to refer you to a therapist specializing in recovery after a pregnancy loss.

When to call the doctor about getting pregnant after a miscarriage

After a miscarriage or other loss, it’s always worth getting the green light from your doctor before trying again to get pregnant. Your OB/GYN or midwife can confirm whether your body is ready and help you address any issues that may have played a role in your miscarriage.

If you’re overweight or you have a lot of stress, for instance, your practitioner might recommend losing weight or finding ways to relax. 

It’s especially important to talk with your doctor if you’ve had two or more miscarriages. In that case, you may be a candidate for certain hormone tests, blood tests, chromosomal tests or a uterine exam to find out if there’s an underlying health problem affecting your ability to have a healthy pregnancy. 

It’s normal to worry about your ability to get pregnant or have a healthy pregnancy after a miscarriage. The good news is that most women go on to conceive and carry their baby to term. There’s absolutely no need to rush into trying again, so give yourself time to grieve your loss.

But when you’re ready, get the go-ahead from your doctor and lean on your partner if you have one, your family, your friends, and others in your life for emotional support. And try to keep a positive outlook: The odds of having a healthy pregnancy in the future are in your favor. 

From the What to Expect editorial team and Heidi Murkoff, author of What to Expect When You're Expecting. What to Expect follows strict reporting guidelines and uses only credible sources, such as peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions and highly respected health organizations. Learn how we keep our content accurate and up-to-date by reading our medical review and editorial policy.

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