Life after a miscarriage

Emotional Healing After a Miscarriage: A Guide for Women, Partners, Family, and Friends

A miscarriage can have deeply felt and long-lasting changes on a woman’s body, mind, and spirit. Because the experience affects her, it often affects each of her relationships: with her baby, partner, family and close friends, and herself.

Understanding the emotional and relational dynamics that may follow a miscarriage can help women and loved ones grieve and move closer to holistic healing in all areas of their lives.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

How Miscarriage Affects:

Women

The Baby and Future Pregnancies

Partners

Relatives and Friends

Suggestions for Healing:

Self

Families

Couples

Loved Ones

Pregnancy can begin changing a woman’s body as early as the fourth week (PDF, 448 KB). At this point, she may start gaining weight due to hormonal increases and experience nausea, tender breasts, increased urination, and fatigue.

Becoming pregnant may also change a woman’s relationship with her body. Some of the women interviewed for this story reported feeling compelled to better care for themselves by drinking more water, packing healthy snacks, and getting enough sleep. Caring for the body becomes caring for the new life.

A miscarriage can breach this sense of self-trust and self-compassion. Afterward, women may feel a range of negative emotions toward their bodies, including anger, guilt, disappointment, or frustration with themselves for being unable to continue the pregnancy. Even after the body starts to recover, women can have a hard time reconnecting with their bodies, according to Nancy Jo Reedy, MPH, CNM, FACNM, faculty with the online Nurse-Midwifery/Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner and Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner programs from Georgetown University School of Nursing & Health Studies. “A miscarriage early on is like the worst period of your entire life.”

Some women experience their bodies as a traumatic site after a miscarriage. A 2019 study found that nearly a third of women who experienced early pregnancy loss met the criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder one month later; around 18% met the criteria nine months later.

Depression and anxiety are common after pregnancy loss. Often there is an “appropriate sadness,” said Reedy, and anxiety that persists for up to a year is not uncommon for either partner. These feelings can be especially intense if the pregnancy was long-awaited.

After a Miscarriage: Self-Care and Personal Healing

Consider reaching out to a mental health provider.

“Losing a pregnancy is losing a child,” according to Reedy. A therapist or counselor can be helpful in sorting through the complicated emotions and grief that may accompany a pregnancy loss. Women with a history of depression or anxiety in particular can benefit from checking in with a mental health professional. If cost is a concern, look into the mental health benefits offered by an insurance plan, or search for a provider with a sliding scale payment system.

Continue to practice self-care after a miscarriage.

Even though the pregnancy will not continue, caring for the body is still essential for healthy miscarriage recovery. Hydration, good nutrition, light exercise, and sleep will help the body heal. Consider trying a new physical activity that brings you joy or allows for an emotional release, such as boxing. If possible, now is a good time to invest in self-care more than you typically would. For example, a postnatal massage can be therapeutic and may be covered by your health insurance plan.

Remember that most women can get pregnant again.

Around 85% of women who experience a pregnancy loss will go on to have healthy pregnancies, according to the American Pregnancy Association. For women with two or three miscarriages, that number is 75%. “[In] the majority of cases, we would not expect it to happen again in the future,” said Reedy. “For women that do have problems, there is testing we can do, and hopefully, help to avert another miscarriage. ”

For many women, emotional attachment begins early in the pregnancy. “Once the women are really into it, it’s not a pregnancy. It’s a baby,” said Reedy. While healthy and normal, that attachment can intensify feelings of loss after a miscarriage, which in turn can fuel a sense of guilt.

The most recent National Survey of Public Perceptions of Miscarriage found that almost half (47%) of respondents, both men and women who had a direct or observed experience with a miscarriage, reported feeling guilty. About 41% felt they had done something wrong, and 28% felt ashamed.

In reality nothing could have been done to cause or prevent the loss, said Reedy. According to the Mayo Clinic, most miscarriages happen because the fetus is not developing healthily — not because of anything the woman did or did not do. However, a significant percentage of Americans still believe stressful events (76%) or lifting heavy objects (64%) cause miscarriage.

Learning the facts about miscarriage can help dispel unhelpful myths, but both partners may still feel the painful loss and fear for future pregnancies. Women who have previously miscarried or had a stillborn baby typically take longer to attach to the next pregnancy — often until after the week the miscarriage happened. “It’s a subconscious way of protecting yourself from the unbearable grief of losing a child,” said Reedy.

After a Miscarriage: Healing for Families

Acknowledge the pregnancy existed.

By tradition, many would-be parents wait until after the first trimester, when the risk of miscarriage drops, to share their news. But if a miscarriage does happen, this old standard can put partners in a difficult position, grieving the loss of a pregnancy that few people knew about.

Recognizing the baby existed, to themselves and possibly to loved ones, can help partners move forward when ready. “You can’t say goodbye to something you never had,” said Reedy, “So acknowledging that the pregnancy was there [is important]. ”

Consider memorializing the baby.

For many partners, a miscarriage feels like losing a child. Acknowledging pregnancy loss in a way that is meaningful to you can be a healthy, appropriate way to grieve. “Sometimes you do that in your heart or in a letter or in a little family memorial,” said Reedy.

Remember that another pregnancy will not shorten the grief.

Becoming pregnant again can seem like the perfect solution to any potential suffering experienced after a miscarriage. However, conceiving will not necessarily erase those painful feelings. Instead of waiting for another pregnancy to find healing, consider what can help you feel better now. What activities did you enjoy before the loss, and can you reengage with them in a manageable way?

Women tend to form a healthy emotional attachment early in the pregnancy. Their partners tend to take longer, according to Reedy, usually attaching around 20 weeks when the baby begins to move. Because miscarriages typically occur before 20 weeks gestation, the two partners are likely to feel a different level of attachment when the loss occurs. Often the partner’s first concern is for the woman’s health and safety, which can cause her to wonder why he does not seem to care about the baby. Emotionally, they are in two different places.

A further complication is that partners may grieve the miscarriage differently. In Reedy’s experience, many of the gender stereotypes have proven true: women often want to talk with loved ones while men seek out activities. But the reverse can also be true: The woman may be ready to jump back into work while the man needs space to grieve. Either scenario can make communicating about each other’s needs difficult.

After a Miscarriage: Healing for Couples

For the Partner Who Was Pregnant

Keep in mind that your partner is less likely to have developed an attachment before 20 weeks.

This is normal emotional development and not an indicator that he does not care for the baby.

For the Partner Who Supported the Pregnancy

Reaffirm that the loss is not your partner’s fault.

Much of the American public places blame on women for miscarriage. In reality, most miscarriages (60%) happen due to chromosomal abnormalities in the fetus, according to a patient guide on repeated miscarriages.

Talk, listen, and process together.

Regardless of your own style of grieving and communicating, take special efforts to be aware of your partner’s emotional and mental health. Make your desire to meet her needs a priority.

Help think through ways to share the news with any other children.

Miscarriage can be a challenging and emotional experience to share with anyone. With your partner, brainstorm age-appropriate ways to explain what happened to any other children in your family. Picture books, such as Something Happened: A Book for Children and Parents Who Have Experienced Pregnancy Loss, may be appropriate for younger children.

For Both

Know that you do not need to think about trying to conceive again until you are both ready.

Friends and family members may ask you about conceiving again. While their queries and advice may be well-meaning, remember that the decision to pursue another pregnancy is yours, not theirs.

Although today’s culture has become more accepting of conversations about pain, particularly the suffering of women, miscarriage seems to persist as a taboo topic. As a result, a miscarriage recovery can feel isolating. A national survey on public perceptions of miscarriage found that around 41% of respondents felt alone after the miscarriage happened.

People may not know what to say even when the loss is shared and openly discussed. Even relatives and close friends can say hurtful things unintentionally, further isolating the woman and her partner.

At the same time, others in a woman’s community may be getting pregnant and safely delivering. Seeing others celebrate life while in a season of loss is unavoidable but can be deeply painful. Creating both healthy boundaries and open spaces for grief can help women, their partners, and their loved ones recover from their loss.

After a Miscarriage: Healing Among Loved Ones

For the Partner Who Was Pregnant

Take the time and space you need to recover.

Each individual’s timeline and needs in the healing process will be different. You may heal more slowly or quickly than peers or your own mother, even if they experienced pregnancy loss at the same number of weeks of gestation. Try to have compassion for your own healing. Consider logging out of social media or muting the updates of women who are pregnant, if these are painful to see.

Find a miscarriage support group.

A support group can provide a place of community and mutual understanding from women in miscarriage recovery. To find an online group, try searching for “miscarriage support” on social networks. For an in-person community, ask your care provider for recommendations.

For Relatives and Friends

Treat other pregnancies with sensitivity.

An individual who has recently experienced a miscarriage might feel pain or sadness to hear of others celebrating pregnancies. Share this news in a thoughtful way and allow space to process, if needed.

Help provide care for any other children.

In this season, partners may appreciate extra support in entertaining and caring for any other children in the family. Offer to babysit for an evening or take them for a day trip on a weekend day.

Stay especially close to women with a history of depression or anxiety.

Grieving a miscarriage can be an emotionally intense experience. If your loved one has a history of mental health concerns, check in often and follow up frequently.

For All

Consider a family memorial.

After a miscarriage, some families may want to honor who the baby would have been. Possible ideas for commemorating the pregnancy include a memorial service, a family dinner, or a donation to a charitable organization.

No two women who experience miscarriage have the same recovery. Each has her own time line, grief, needs, and hopes — but Reedy believes they have one thing in common.

“Recovery doesn’t mean forgetting,” she said. “Recovery means it finds a place in your heart.”

Citation for this content: Nursing@Georgetown, the online Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner program from the Georgetown University School of Nursing & Health Studies

Your feelings and emotions after miscarriage

Loss of trust in your body

You may feel let down by your body or that it has played tricks on you, particularly if you had a missed miscarriage and had no symptoms. You might feel a strange disconnect between you and your body. You may feel this same lack of faith in your body in future pregnancies and resent the fact that you’re unable to enjoy your pregnancy.

Don’t forget that you will be affected physically, as well as emotionally. Your hormone levels are rapidly changing after a miscarriage, and mood swings and tears are normal. It may take a bit of time before your body feels normal again. The mind can affect the body and vice versa. Try to take care of your physical and emotional health as best you can.

“‘The trouble with miscarriage is that most people don’t understand what it is you’ve actually lost. I’ve lost my babies. I’ve lost the ability to be excited about pregnancy. I’ve lost trust in my body, in hospitals and in statistics. Most of all I’ve lost faith, in myself and in the future.” Melissa's story. Read more...

Confusion

If your pregnancy wasn’t planned, you might be struggling with conflicting emotions. It could be that you were unsure about pregnancy and didn’t expect to feel so strongly about the loss. You may even feel guilty about being a little relieved. On the other hand, you may find other people assume you are feeling relieved when you are anything but, which can be very upsetting.

Loneliness

Some women find themselves feeling alone in their grief because nobody knew they were pregnant in the first place. It can also be very difficult if other people’s reactions to your loss are unhelpful or upsetting.

Some couples may also worry that their loss has affected their relationship with their partner.

Think about whether you might want to tell your employer, a close colleague, friends or family. Being able to talk about your loss might help you to feel less lonely and better supported.

“I for one found the thought of waiting 3 months to tell our families and close friends impossible. The way they shared in our excitement and later our grief really meant something to us. I found it almost impossible to tell anyone at work, so I didn’t feel I could share my loss. I had a silent scream in my head I couldn’t let out.”Read more...

How do I cope with these emotions?

There is no easy way to grieve after something like this happens, but there are some practical things you can do that may help.

Allow yourself to feel sad

Try not to push yourself, feel guilty about feeling sad or try to force yourself to feel happy, even if a lot of time has passed since your miscarriage. Feeling sad is a healthy part of the grieving process.

Commemorate your loss

A lot of people like to find a special way to remember their baby or to do something that makes them feel like they’ve said a proper goodbye.

Find out more about remembering your baby after a miscarriage.

Express yourself

You and your partner have been through a traumatic experience and you may both find it helpful to find ways to express how you feel.

Some people find keeping a diary or journal helps them make sense of their feelings. Sometimes just the act of writing down your thoughts and feelings down is effective.

Try to talk to someone about how you feel. If you have a partner, it’s a good idea to try to support each other. Be aware that you may have different feelings and ways of coping. This doesn’t mean you don’t love each other.

Sometimes it can help to talk to a professional counsellor, either as a couple or on your own. Your GP can refer you to NHS counselling services or you may be able to refer yourself. You can also contact the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy to find a local private service.

Sleep

Emotional stress can make you very tired, but you may also find it difficult to sleep. See your GP if you’re struggling.

Eat healthily

You may be finding it difficult to eat, but it’s important to try and eat a healthy, well-balanced diet.

Avoid 'numbing' the pain

Avoid things that ‘numb’ the pain, such as alcohol. It'll make you feel worse once the numbness wears off.

If you are finding it hard to cope

Sometimes grief can be overwhelming. If you are struggling to cope with your feelings, you are not alone.

It is possible to develop mental health problems because of the grief caused by losing a baby. Depression and anxiety are common, but some women may develop other issues, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or perinatal obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).

"I struggled with anxiety and felt very low. In fact, I felt like I was losing my mind."

Toni. Read her story...

Talk to your GP if you are worried about how you or someone else is feeling. There is support available and mental health problems are treatable.

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

You can also join the Tommy's Baby Loss Support Group on Facebook for those who have experienced any type of baby loss.

More information and support

Anxiety UK is an organisation run by with anxiety disorders, offering information, support and therapies for people experiencing anxiety.

British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) provides information for those who are considering some form of counselling. Call them on 01455 883316.

MIND is a mental health charity providing information, support, local groups and an online chatroom. They have specific information about postnatal depression and perinatal mental health, including postnatal PTSD and birth trauma.

No Panic provides online and telephone support for people suffering from panic attacks, phobias, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and anxiety disorders.

Miscarriage. What to do after a miscarriage?

When a woman finds out about her pregnancy, she changes her rhythm of life, especially if the pregnancy is desired. However, depending on many circumstances, miscarriage , that is, a natural termination of pregnancy, may occur. Statistics say that up to 20 percent of pregnancies end in pathological abortions. Often a woman may not know that she was pregnant, as a miscarriage sometimes occurs at a very early stage and seems to be just a normal delay in menstruation followed by heavy discharge.

If a woman finds out that she is pregnant and wants to become a mother, she should be very attentive to her condition. The threat of miscarriage often occurs in the early stages of pregnancy and therefore it is necessary to know what symptoms and signs precede a sudden miscarriage.

Signs

The main sign of a suspected miscarriage is bleeding from the uterus. They happen not abundant, pale scarlet or gray-brown. The discharge most often gradually increases and is characterized by sudden spasms or pulling pains in the lower abdomen. These symptoms may last for some time.

The pains are often so mild that the woman simply does not pay attention to them. They are able to be interrupted, and the woman simply forgets about them, especially if the discharge also stopped, and before that they were insignificant. Meanwhile, the very first symptoms should alert you and you should urgently go to the gynecologist for examination and consultation. Even if the process has stopped, after a few days you can feel a sharp deterioration in health, and then you can no longer save the life of the unborn child. Be sure to pay attention to what exactly comes out with the discharge, if there are tissue fragments, it means that miscarriage has already occurred. Therefore, one should not hesitate to go to the doctor, the fetus may come out, in whole or in parts, there may be white particles or a round gray bubble. When the body is completely cleansed, the pain will subside, but before that it may continue for some time.

Terms of miscarriages

A miscarriage is classified as early if it occurred before twelve weeks from the onset of pregnancy. Starting from the 22nd week, if a spontaneous miscarriage has occurred, it is considered late. If the termination of pregnancy occurred before thirty-seven weeks, then this is already called premature birth. All subsequent fetal rejections are called term births and are generally considered normal, since during this period, mostly able-to-survive children are born. In modern medicine, children born after 22 weeks are nursed and subsequently do not differ from those born at term with normal weight.

Types of miscarriages

Specialists have identified several types of miscarriages.

Complete or inevitable - characterized by pain in the lower back and dilatation of the cervix, hemorrhages from it. The fetal membrane necessarily bursts, and the pregnancy is terminated. The fetus comes out of the uterus, and all discomfort in the form of pain and bleeding stops.
Miscarriage is different in that the fetus died, but remained in the mother's body. This can be detected by a doctor when examining a woman and when listening to the fetal heartbeat.
Repeated miscarriage is rare, it occurs only some time after the first and can occur up to three times in a row in the early stages.

Causes of spontaneous abortion

The vast majority of women, having learned about their pregnancy, want to give birth to a healthy baby. And if there is a spontaneous miscarriage , then for a failed mother this is a real tragedy. Many, having experienced an abortion, try to conceive a child faster again, but first you need to know the reasons for what happened in order to save the fetus in the future. According to statistics, the largest number of miscarriages occurs precisely in the early stages.

There are several reasons for this:

Violations in genetics.

This is the most common cause of miscarriage. This is not due to heredity, it is a consequence of the mutation of parent germ cells, which accidentally ended up in unfavorable conditions. This is also the influence of radiation, poisoning, viruses, that is, temporary situations that affected the quality of germ cells. The body thus gets rid of a weak non-viable fetus. It is impossible and unnecessary to prevent such spontaneous abortion. It is only necessary, having decided to become pregnant, to try to cleanse your body of possible harmful influences.

Hormonal disorders

The cause of miscarriage at a very early stage also lies in the lack of the hormone progesterone, or in the fact that a woman has an excess of male sex hormones that suppress the production of estrogen and progesterone in her body. In this case, the fetus can be saved medically by administering the necessary medicines to the woman. The work of the adrenal glands, as well as the thyroid gland, affects the production of hormones, so a lot depends on the work of these glands throughout the pregnancy process.

Immunological causes .

In this case, the vitality of the fetus is directly affected by the Rh conflict. The embryo will inherit the positive Rh of the man, and if the partner has a negative Rh, then her body simply rejects cells that are foreign to him. A similar situation can be prevented by injecting the expectant mother with a variety of progesterone, a process called immunomodulation.

Sexually transmitted infections such as toxoplasmosis, syphilis, trichomoniasis, chlamydia and others are of great danger. External infection: bacteria and viruses infect the fetal membranes, and the body will inevitably reject the embryo. Therefore, before becoming pregnant, you should be examined to know for sure that there are no infections, and if the result is positive, undergo treatment.

In addition, all inflammatory processes, various diseases of the internal organs, which are accompanied by a persistent high temperature, can also lead to unexpected rejection of the fetus. Rubella is especially dangerous, and viral hepatitis is common. But even a sore throat, mild pneumonia, appendicitis sometimes play a key role and lead to a miscarriage, so the expectant mother must undergo a thorough examination even before the child is conceived, and then beware of all kinds of infections and weakening of the body.

Medical abortion.

If a woman had an abortion in a hospital and then became pregnant and decided to give birth, there is a danger that she will have a miscarriage. Abortion is a stress factor for the body, ovarian dysfunction is often observed, inflammatory processes in the female genital organs can begin, and all this will lead, at best, to miscarriage and subsequent repeated miscarriages, and at worst, to infertility. Therefore, you need to think very seriously before going for an abortion.

Medicines and certain herbs.

It is advisable for a pregnant woman not to take any medication at all, especially during the first three calendar months. Medicines and herbs can cause various defects in the fetus, which in turn will lead to its rejection. Analgesics and uncontrolled hormonal contraceptives are especially dangerous. Parsley and nettle should be eaten with caution - they cause a high tone of the uterus, which in turn can reject the fetus.

Stress.

It is no coincidence that in ancient times, pregnant women were protected from unrest, they were created comfortable conditions, and they tried to give as many positive emotions as possible. Now the direct dependence of the health of the unborn baby on the mental state during pregnancy has already been proven. Any stress, fear and overstrain can cause an unexpected termination of pregnancy. If you have a problem (death of a loved one, divorce, etc.), you need to find sedatives with the help of a doctor, they will help you cope with this period.

Unhealthy lifestyle.

Of course, the intake of alcoholic beverages, an unhealthy lifestyle, smoking, even coffee consumption in large quantities, improper diet - all this can lead to a transient miscarriage. Therefore, the expectant mother should prioritize and change her rhythm of life in advance in order to give birth to a healthy child.

Sexual intercourse, falling, heavy lifting.

All of these factors can affect the fetus, so you should protect yourself and your baby by avoiding these activities.

What to do after a miscarriage?

Having experienced the tragedy of losing a child, parents often intend to immediately conceive a new baby, but they are afraid that everything will happen again. In this case, you do not need to make independent decisions, but consult a doctor. And first of all, it is necessary to identify the cause that led to the miscarriage. For this, the expectant mother needs to undergo as thorough an examination as possible.

If no obvious cause is found, the fetus most likely has a chromosomal abnormality. In this case, you should not worry, since the next conception will occur with a different set of chromosomes, which means that there will be no repeated miscarriage. If the miscarriage was repeated, it is necessary to contact a geneticist and conduct a study of the set of chromosomes of both parents. If it turns out that the cause was an infection, then it is necessary to fully recover. If we are talking about sexual infections, then both parents need to undergo therapy. It is necessary to take tests for hormonal studies, hemostasis systems and determine the immune status.

After a miscarriage, should be treated, if necessary, and pause between conceptions. During pregnancy, you should not take medications to prevent re-spontaneous pathological termination of pregnancy. Therefore, you can become pregnant only after the end of the course of treatment. If the cause was hormonal abnormalities, then the expectant mother should take special drugs to stabilize the background, and at this time she should never become pregnant. During the pause, you need to choose contraceptives with the help of a doctor. You can go to a specialized clinic where you will be prescribed a full course of rehabilitation.

The first week after a miscarriage women often experience pain in the lower abdomen, heavy bleeding, so you should refrain from sexual intercourse with a man. If there is severe bleeding, acute pain in the lower abdomen, convulsions, high fever, palpitations, nausea, vomiting, then you should immediately consult a doctor to identify the cause of this condition. It is necessary to plan a subsequent pregnancy not earlier than three months after this situation, but preferably six months later. Until that time, it is worth reconsidering your outlook on life, giving up hard work, eating right and wisely, taking vitamins, exercising, losing weight if you are overweight, stop smoking, drinking alcohol, think over your daily routine.

It is very important during this recovery period to have a positive attitude and confidence that the next attempt will be successful. This is harder to do than to say, because after a miscarriage the woman is in a depressed state and is afraid of a repetition of the situation. You can’t get hung up on your problem, during this period it’s better to do some favorite thing, relax, change the situation, travel, visit the city more often. The modern ecological situation in cities has a bad effect on women's health, so private trips to nature, a trip to the sea, to friends in another city can distract from painful thoughts. An important role in this case is played by the woman's relatives and, above all, the husband, who can surround her with care and attention, creating peace of mind.

You may need to contact a counseling psychologist or psychotherapist. Yoga classes, self-education, visiting theaters, exhibitions and temples have a very beneficial effect on the psyche of a woman and help to distract from her problems. Helping others who have a difficult life situation, caring for the sick can also have a beneficial psychological effect and help you look at your problems from the outside.

Remember, the human body is a self-healing system, it just needs a little help.

Treatment and prevention of miscarriage

Miscarriage. Symptoms

Causes of a miscarriage

Questions to ask your doctor about a miscarriage

Diagnosis of a miscarriage

If there is a risk of a miscarriage, your doctor may recommend rest until the bleeding or pain stops. Your doctor may also recommend that you abstain from sports and sexual activity. It is better not to travel, and especially not to travel to places where it is difficult to get emergency medical care.

Thanks to the widespread use of ultrasound, it is much easier these days to know if an embryo has died or not formed at all, and to know for sure that a miscarriage will occur. In this case, there are several options:

Expectant tactics. Before ultrasound was used in early pregnancy, most women had no idea that they were going to have a miscarriage. Some women allow the process to develop naturally. Usually a miscarriage occurs a few weeks after the death of the embryo is established. Unfortunately, this process can take three to four weeks. From an emotional point of view, this can be quite a difficult period.

Conservative treatment for miscarriage. If, after diagnosing a miscarriage, a woman decides to speed up the process, then the removal of the embryonic tissue and placenta from the body can be provoked by taking certain drugs. Some medications are taken by mouth, but your doctor may prescribe intravaginal medications to increase their effectiveness and reduce the risk of side effects such as nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Most likely, a miscarriage will occur at home. The time of action of the drug may vary. You may also need more than one dose of the drug. In 70% of cases, the drug begins to act within a day, and a miscarriage occurs in the next few days or weeks.

Surgical treatment. Another treatment option is vacuum aspiration and curettage. During this procedure, the doctor opens the cervix and, using a special device, gently sucks tissue from the uterus. Sometimes a special metal surgical instrument with a loop at the end (curette) is used to scrape the walls of the uterus after vacuum aspiration. Complications are rare, but the connective tissue of the cervix or the wall of the uterus may be damaged.

In the event of an unavoidable miscarriage, surgery is necessary to stop the bleeding.

Lifestyle and home care

Physical recovery

In most cases, physical recovery from a miscarriage takes a few hours to a few days. It will take 4-6 weeks to return to a normal lifestyle. During this period, if you experience heavy bleeding, fever, chills or severe pain, you should contact your doctor. These signs and symptoms may indicate an infection. For two weeks after a miscarriage, you should not have sex, use tampons, or flush your vagina.

Subsequent pregnancy

It is possible to become pregnant during your period immediately after a miscarriage. If you and your partner decide to try for a baby, make sure you are emotionally and physically ready for it. The doctor may recommend to postpone this process until the next menstruation, and maybe even more.

More than three miscarriages in a row should be investigated to determine the underlying causes, such as uterine abnormalities, coagulation problems, or abnormalities at the chromosomal level. In some cases, the doctor will suggest that you get tested after two miscarriages in a row, but two miscarriages still may not have hidden medical reasons. If the cause of miscarriages cannot be determined, do not lose hope. 60-70% of women who have had consecutive miscarriages can become pregnant in the future, even without treatment.

How to cope with illness and where to find support

Psychological recovery can take much longer than physical recovery. A miscarriage is a painful loss that others will not be able to fully understand. You can experience completely different feelings: from anger to despair. Give yourself time to process this grief and find support from loved ones. Don't blame yourself for what happened. You may not be able to forget all the hopes and dreams you had for this pregnancy, but over time, acceptance will ease the pain. Talk to your healthcare provider if you are experiencing deep sadness or depression.

Prevention

With so many possible causes of miscarriage, there is simply no way to prevent it.