Trying again after a miscarriage

Talk to your doctor

If you’ve had 1 or 2 early miscarriages you probably won’t have an automatic follow-up appointment with your GP or the hospital. These appointments currently only start after 3 miscarriages. But you can make an appointment with your GP yourself if you want to talk about it and ask any questions you may have about trying to get pregnant again.

Find out more about your care after 1 or 2 miscarriages. 

If you’re not ready to think about pregnancy yet, don’t worry. You can always make an appointment with your GP in the future to talk it over.

When will I be physically ready to try again?

When it comes to having sex, it is best to wait until all your miscarriage symptoms, such as pain or bleeding are gone because there is a risk you may get an infection. 

Your doctors may advise you to have at least 1 period before you start trying for another baby. This is because your first menstrual cycle after a miscarriage is often much longer or shorter than usual. If you get pregnant during that cycle, it may be difficult to work out when you conceived. This could make it difficult to work out when you’re due and cause you some unnecessary anxiety.

If you normally have regular periods, your next period will usually happen around 4–6 weeks after a miscarriage. However, you will ovulate before then, so you may be fertile in the first month after a miscarriage.  

Some women find their first period difficult because it may bring back some feelings of loss. You can talk to a Tommy’s midwife free of charge from 9am–5pm, Monday to Friday on 0800 0147 800 or email them at [email protected]. 

Don’t worry if you get pregnant before having a period. This does not increase the risk to your pregnancy. Unless your doctor advises you to wait, you can try for another baby as soon as you are ready.

If you’ve had an illness, infection or are trying to manage the symptoms of a long-term medical condition, you may be advised to wait for a while. You may also have to take medications that aren’t suitable in pregnancy.

Talk to your doctor if you’ve had a late miscarriage or recurrent losses. Generally, the NHS follows guidelines that say your GP will refer you to a doctor who specialises in miscarriage after you have had 3 early miscarriages (known as recurrent miscarriage), 1 late miscarriage. 

Find out more about getting referred to a miscarriage specialist. 

Find out more about your care after 3 miscarriages. 

If you’re having tests or investigations, it can be helpful to wait until they’re finished before trying again.

Your physical health

A very small number of women may have a condition that makes them more likely to miscarry, such as diabetes or thyroid disorder. If this is the case, making sure your condition is managed well will help reduce the risk. Talk to your GP or specialist before you start trying for another baby. 

Find out more about health conditions and planning a pregnancy. 

Trying again after a molar pregnancy

If you had a molar pregnancy, it’s best to wait until your after-treatment monitoring has finished. You may need more treatment to remove any cells left in your womb.

Trying again after an ectopic pregnancy

If you've had an ectopic pregnancy, you'll probably be advised to wait until you've had at least 2 periods after treatment before trying again. If you were treated with methotrexate, it's usually recommended that you wait at least 3 months because the medicine could harm your baby if you become pregnant during this time.

When will I feel ready to try again?

It’s impossible to say when you will feel ready again. Some people worry about getting pregnant again and need to take some time to come to terms with what happened. Other couples see a new pregnancy as the best way for them to heal and trying again becomes part of their recovery.

Everyone is different and there is no right or wrong.

Talking to someone that you and your partner trust may help you find a way forward. This could be a parent, friend or sibling, or you could talk to a professional. Find out more about the support available.

How long will it take to get pregnant again after a miscarriage?

There is no simple answer to this. Some people get pregnant immediately after a miscarriage. Other couples take a bit longer. Try not to worry if you’ve conceived quickly in the past and it’s taking longer this time, it may just be your hormones and body need time to readjust.

Find out more about how long it takes to get pregnant.

Pregnancy after a miscarriage

Unfortunately, there is nothing you can do to fully guarantee that you won’t have another miscarriage. However, there are things that you (and a male partner) can do now to improve your health that can increase your chances of getting pregnant and having a healthy pregnancy and baby.

If you decide the time is right to try again, take a look at our section on preparing your body for pregnancy. 

Will I miscarry again?

It’s completely natural to worry about this, and there are no guarantees that things will go better next time. But most early miscarriages are one-off and there’s a very good chance that your next pregnancy will be successful.

There is some evidence that getting pregnant in the first 6 months after a miscarriage lowers your risk of miscarriage next time.

If you have had a late miscarriage or recurrent miscarriages, you and your partner should be seen by a specialist health professional. Your doctor should talk to you about your situation and your likelihood of having another miscarriage and successful pregnancy.

It is worth remembering that most couples will have a successful pregnancy the next time, even after three miscarriages in a row.

If you had an ectopic pregnancy, your chances of having a successful pregnancy in the future are good. Even if you have only one fallopian tube, your chances of getting pregnant are only slightly reduced. For most women, an ectopic pregnancy is a one-off.

Having a molar pregnancy doesn't affect your chances of getting pregnant again, and the risk of having another molar pregnancy is small (about 1 in 80).

Find out more about the likelihood of miscarrying again.

Your mental health

Losing a baby can impact on how you and your partner feel during a next pregnancy. Be kind to yourselves. It’s understandable if you’re not enjoying trying again and it’s natural to feel some anxiety about how this pregnancy will progress.

If you are struggling with negative feelings, you may need help. Up to 1 in 5 women develop mental health problems during pregnancy or in the first year after childbirth, including anxiety and depression. Some women even experience post-traumatic stress after pregnancy caused by miscarriage.

If you or your partner are feeling low, don’t hide your feelings or suffer in silence. You are not alone. Tell your GP and midwife how you feel. They will help you access the support you need.

You can also talk to a Tommy’s midwife free of charge from 9am–5pm, Monday to Friday on 0800 0147 800 or email them at [email protected]. 

Find out more about taking care of your mental health in pregnancy.

Your antenatal care

You can ask for an early scan or extra scans during pregnancy as part of your antenatal care, although these may not be provided. Extra scans won’t guarantee anything or predict how your pregnancy will progress, but it may give you some peace of mind.

Don’t feel that you have to keep your next pregnancy secret – talking to your friends or family might really help. You can also join our Parenting After Loss support group that you can join.

Our midwives are at the end of the phone if you need to get advice or information on trying again after a miscarriage. You can speak to them from 9am–5pm, Monday to Friday on 0800 0147 800.