Getting Pregnant After a Miscarriage

Suffering a miscarriage can be overwhelming and emotionally shattering. However, miscarriage is actually much more common than many women realize.  Up to 25% to 35% of pregnancies terminate in miscarriage before a woman misses her period or even realizes she is pregnant. However, about 15% to 20% of known or identified pregnancies will result in a miscarriage.

Over 80% of miscarriages occur within the first three months of pregnancy. After 20 weeks, miscarriages are less likely to occur. When loss of pregnancy occurs after 20 weeks, physicians refer to them as late miscarriages. For most women, the later the miscarriage, the more devastating the emotional consequences.

After suffering a miscarriage, a couple has many questions. What caused the pregnancy to be unsuccessful? Should they “try again”? And if they do attempt to become pregnant again, how long should they wait after a miscarriage before getting pregnant again?

Austin, TX fertility expert Dr. Ruthie Harper has helped hundreds of women successfully conceive after miscarriage. In this article she addresses some of the causes of miscarriage, as well as steps women can take to help prevent another miscarriage when they are ready to try and get pregnant again.

Causes and Risk Factors for Miscarriage

The majority of miscarriages occur when the unborn infant has a fatal genetic abnormality or ‘birth defect’ that prevents them from surviving. Typically, these issues have nothing to do with the mother or father’s health or fertility. In many of such cases, miscarriage is just a one-time occurrence that is due to a chromosomal anomaly. So, rest assured that a single miscarriage does not necessarily indicate that you have a reproductive issue.

However, there are other risk factors for miscarriage that may increase the likelihood of problems carrying a child to term. These can be separated into maternal health factors and environmental influences.

Health issues of the mother that can increase the risk of miscarriage include:

• Infection
• Illnesses in the mother, such as diabetes or thyroid illness
• Weakness of the mother’s cervix
• Immune system reactions
• Uterine abnormalities
• Hormone imbalances

Environmental factors that can increase miscarriage risk include:

• Smoking
• Consumption of alcoholic beverages
• Use of recreational drugs
• Radiation or hazardous chemical exposure
• Poor nutrition or vitamin deficiencies

Getting Pregnant After Miscarriage

The good news is that at least 85% of women who miscarry go on to have normal pregnancies and deliveries. And only about 1% to 2% of women have recurrent miscarriages (three or more).

If a woman has had two miscarriages in a row, it is recommended that she stop trying to conceive and take birth control measures, until she can consult with a fertility expert like Dr. Ruthe Harper in Austin, TX.

A fertility doctor can help determine the cause of the losses before you attempt to conceive again. Your fertility doctor can help you take steps to minimize your risk of miscarriage going forward, and work with you to determine the timing of your future pregnancy.

According to some experts, a woman should wait a certain length of time (between one menstrual cycle and three months) before attempting conception again. But each woman’s situation is unique, and thorough testing by a fertility expert can help identify and treat any underlying issues. Once the potential cause(s) of your pregnancy loss can be identified, Dr. Harper can help you determine the best time to try getting pregnant after a miscarriage.

Lowering Risk of Miscarriage

To begin with, it is critical to provide as much time as needed for physical and emotional healing after a miscarriage. Above all, women should abstain from self-blame. A miscarriage is not any one’s “fault” – and in most cases they are a one-time occurrence that was simply unavoidable. Our staff can help you find counseling to assist you in coping with your loss, if you would like.

But, if you have a chronic condition that may be interfering with conception, fertility expert Dr. Ruthie Harper can most times identify and address it – significantly increasing your chances of having a successful pregnancy after a miscarriage.

Lifestyle Changes to Prevent Miscarriage

To begin with, lifestyle variables can be adjusted to help avoid a second miscarriage:

• Engage in regular physical activity.
• Consume a nutritious, well-balanced diet.
• Keep a healthy weight.
• Avoid smoking, drinking alcohol, and using drugs.
• Reduce caffeine consumption.

Vitamin Supplementation to Prevent Miscarriage

Next, any vitamin and nutritional deficiencies should be addressed.  Dr. Harper can perform a comprehensive panel of blood tests after a miscarriage to detect any underlying vitamin deficits. Then she will be able to prescribe a personalized, all-natural food plan and vitamin supplements to help rebalance your body.

Vitamin C boosts hormone levels and enhances fertility in women with luteal phase defects. Additionally, vitamin C may enhance the quality and motility of sperm – and preserve them from DNA damage – lowering the chance of miscarriage and chromosomal abnormalities.

Vitamin B12 supplementation may help increase the quality and quantity of sperm produced by men, as well as strengthen the endometrial lining in women during egg fertilization, lowering the risk of miscarriage.

Zinc deficiency has also been connected directly to miscarriage during the early stages of pregnancy. This is because zinc regulates estrogen and progesterone levels and contributes to the maintenance of a healthy reproductive system.

Hormone Replacement Therapy to Prevent Miscarriage

To avoid another miscarriage, your fertility expert may also recommend progesterone therapy, a hormone that aids embryo implantation and promotes early pregnancy in your uterus.

Additionally, it is believed that one in every eight women has some type thyroid illness, and 50% of them are unaware of it. Thyroid disorder symptoms may be subtle and may go unnoticed until a woman is unable to conceive or tragically miscarries. Hashimoto’s disease and other types of hypothyroidism (too little thyroid hormone) have a variety of symptoms, one of which is miscarriage.

If you have lost a pregnancy, fertility expert Dr. Ruthie Harper can conduct a comprehensive panel of blood tests to rule out any underlying thyroid illness or other hormone problem or deficiency. Then, depending on your test findings, she may prescribe tailored, 100 percent natural, bioidentical hormone replacement therapy to restore hormonal balance to your body.

Miscarriage & Natural Fertility Expert | Austin, TX

If you’ve been having difficulty conceiving, have irregular periods, believe you’re not ovulating, or have experienced the sorrow of miscarriage, it’s critical to have thorough blood work performed to ensure your body is in optimum balance for conception and pregnancy health.

Austin, TX fertility expert Dr. Ruthie Harper understands the pain of losing a pregnancy, and offers the most advanced diagnosis and natural treatments to help you have the greatest chance of getting pregnant after miscarriage – so you can build the family of your dreams.

Help Getting Pregnant After a Miscarriage: 512.343.9355