Recover from a Miscarriage

A miscarriage is the sudden end of a pregnancy. About 10 to 25 percent of all pregnancies will end in miscarriage. For the most part, miscarriages are unpreventable and the result of an abnormality of the fetus. Recovering from a miscarriage, emotionally and physically, takes time.

Steps

Recovering Physically

1. Discuss your recovery with a doctor. You should seek medical help during the first signs of a miscarriage. Recovery depends on your personal health and stage of pregnancy.
   • An ultrasound can be used to detect a miscarriage. You have several choices about how you wish to proceed medically. The right choice depends heavily on your own personal preference and your stage of pregnancy.
   • You can let the miscarriage happen naturally if there are no signs of infection. It takes anywhere between one and four weeks for the process to complete. This process can be emotionally difficult. Many women opt to speed a miscarriage medically. Medication can cause your body to expel the pregnancy and might minimize side effects like nausea and diarrhea. This treatment works within 24 hours in 70 to 90 percent of women.
   • A surgical procedure may be necessary if there is heavy bleeding or infection. Your health care provider will dilate your cervix and remove the tissues from inside your uterus. This procedure could potentially damage your uterine wall, but such complications are very rare.
2. Prepare for potential side effects. Physically, miscarriages may come with certain side effects. Be prepared to experience the following during a miscarriage:
   • Mild to severe back pain
   • Weight loss
   • White-pink mucus
   • Brown or bright red discharge
   • Always see a doctor if side effects get worse. You want to make sure any infections or complications are dealt with quickly.
3. Take any medication prescribed. After a miscarriage, your doctor may prescribe you certain medications. These can prevent infections and help manage the pain. Take any medications the doctor prescribes as directed.
   • Most medications will be prescribed to prevent hemorrhaging. The farther along you are in your pregnancy, the more likely hemorrhaging will be. Your doctor will prescribe medication designed to help your blood clot and prevent excessive bleeding. Take all the meds as directed. Ask your doctor if you have any questions.
   • Antibiotics will likely be prescribed if your doctor worries you're at risk for an infection. Take all antibiotics as directed and make sure you do not engage in any activities, such as consuming alcohol, that will make the drugs less effective.
4. Deal with the physical recovery at home. Once you've dealt with the miscarriage medically, you need to recover at home. Talk to your doctor about how to give yourself time to heal.
   • For the first two weeks after your miscarriage, refrain from sex and do not put anything, such as a tampon, in your vagina.
   • When you can return to normal activity depends on your personal health and how far along the pregnancy was at the time of the miscarriage. Talk to your doctor about when to return to normal activity and any precautions you should take.
   • Recovery generally takes from a few hours to a few days. Your period should return within 4 to 6 weeks.

Coping Emotionally

1. Allow yourself time to grieve. Miscarrying is an incredibly emotional experience. It's normal to feel a sense of loss and you need to allow yourself time to grieve the baby.
   • The emotions you experienced after a miscarriage are normal and may be quite intense. Many women feel sadness or anger. Some unfairly blame themselves or those around them. Allow yourself to experience emotions, even negative ones. Journaling your thoughts during the weeks following your miscarriage can be a healthy way to process your feelings.
   • Remember, hormones play a roll as well. The hormonal response you have to pregnancy and miscarriage increase the intensity of your emotions. It's not uncommon to cry for prolonged periods in the wake of a miscarriage. Trouble eating and sleeping are also common after losing a baby.
   • While the emotions may be difficult to deal with, you need to allow yourself to experience them fully. Try to remind yourself these feelings are temporary and, with time, you'll feel closer to normal.
2. Seek support from others. Having a strong support network is very important after a miscarriage. Seek out guidance, comfort, and advice from those around you, especially people who've undergone a similar ordeal.
   • Nurses at hospitals see a lot of miscarriages. Talk to the nurse who worked with you and see if she knows any support groups in the area. It can be hard to make others understand a miscarriage. Many women find it helpful to talk to people who've undergone the same experience.
   • Try to explain to your loved ones how you are feeling and what you need from them. Some people need a lot of extra support after a miscarriage while others might crave space. There is no wrong way to feel after suffering pregnancy loss.
   • There are many resources online that address pregnancy loss and some include forums where you can share your thoughts with others. Sites like angelfire.com, mend.org, and aplacetoremember.com are good sites to go to in the weeks after your miscarriage.
3. Prepare for misguided comments. Many people will say the wrong thing to you after a miscarriage. For the most part, people are not trying to be hurtful but they may be at a loss as to what to say. When trying to help, your loved ones may end up saying the wrong thing.
   • Many people will make comments trying to help you feel better. They may say something like, "At least you weren't very far along" or "You can try again." If you have other children, they might advise you to take comfort in them. They fail to realize such comments negate the loss you're suffering.
   • Try to cope with these comments without getting angry. Simply say something like, "I know you are trying to help, and I appreciate that, but those kinds of comments aren't helpful right now." The vast majority of people do not mean to offend and will genuinely want to know if they're saying anything upsetting to you.
4. See a therapist, if necessary. It takes time to recover from a miscarriage. However, if it's been more than a few months and you're still feeling off you may need psychiatric help. A miscarriage can be traumatic. The assistance of a professional therapist or counselor can help you manage your grief.
   • You can find a therapist by calling your insurance provider and asking what doctors in your area are covered by your program. You can also ask for a referral from your general practitioner of OB/GYN.
   • If cost is an issue, many therapist and psychiatrist offer sliding scales. There are also low cost clinics in most big cities that offer free or discounted counseling.

Moving Forward

1. Decide when and if to try again. Unless your miscarriage is a result of a specific reproductive problem, most women can conceive again after miscarrying. When and if you make this decision is personal and depends on a number of factors.
   • The World Health Organization recommends waiting at least six months to try conceive again. However, medically delaying conception has little benefits. If you are otherwise healthy and feel emotionally ready, you should be able to conceive as soon as your menstrual cycle resumes.
   • Be aware that pregnancy after a miscarriage can be an anxious experience. Many women worry about a miscarriage happening again. Make sure you're ready for the emotional toll of undergoing another pregnancy before trying to conceive again. Less than 5% of women have two consecutive miscarriages. The odds are in your favor. Knowing this can help some women manage the anxiety.
   • If you've had more than two miscarriages, you should talk to a doctor and get tested for a variety of medical problems that can cause miscarriage. If problems can be diagnosed and treated, you'll increase the likelihood of carrying a baby to term.
2. Learn about how to prevent a miscarriage in the future. The vast majority of miscarriages are unpreventable. However, there are some things you can do to minimize your risk of miscarrying.
   • Maintain a healthy lifestyle throughout pregnancy. Exercise regularly and keep your weight gain consistent with medical guidelines. Eat a healthy diet and avoid anything, like soft cheeses or raw meats, that could be damaging to the fetus.
   • Do not smoke or drink alcohol when pregnant. Limit caffeine consumption to one 12 ounce cup of coffee each day.
   • Take prenatal vitamins and folic acid supplements daily.
3. Discuss your future plans with your doctor. Any plans you make regarding another pregnancy after a miscarriage should be discussed with your doctor. When it comes to pregnancy, there are no hard and fast rules applicable to every woman. Only a medical professional familiar with your health records and medical history can advise you on any extra steps you should take moving forward after a miscarriage.

Warnings

• Depression is a common side of miscarriage and can often become severe. If you experience depression accompanied by thoughts of suicide, call 9-11 and seek immediate psychiatric evaluation.

Related Articles

• Console Someone Who Had a Miscarriage

Sources and Citations

See also

• Prevent a Miscarriage
• Prevent Recurrent Miscarriages
• Determine If You Had a Miscarriage
• Know the Signs of Miscarriage
• Prepare Your Body for Pregnancy After Miscarriage
• Care for Yourself After a Miscarriage
• Console Someone Who Had a Miscarriage
• Get Through a Miscarriage

What links here

• Determine If You Had a Miscarriage
• Console Someone Who Had a Miscarriage