Conceiving After a Loss: Should You Try Again?

When one suffers the loss of a pregnancy whether through an early miscarriage or later on in pregnancy they often contemplate on whether or not they should try again, and if so, how long should they wait before trying to conceive again. Here is a look at how long one should wait and if they might be ready yet.

Deciding when to conceive again depends upon when the doctor says is safe and when the woman's menstrual cycles start up again. Generally after a miscarriage with no other problems couples are safe to try to conceive again 2-3 months after their loss if the doctor has given their go-ahead. Depending upon the situation, this will give the woman enough time to heal physically. Those who lose a child later on in pregnancy may want to wait 6 months to give the woman enough time to let her body heal. There are some cases where the woman may have had to have surgery or for a loss later in pregnancy she may have to actually go through an actual delivery.

While it may seem tempting to try to rush into another pregnancy, couples should ensure that they have had enough to heal emotionally as well as physically. A new baby will of course bring his or her own joys to life but parents will often come to the hard understanding one baby does not replace the other. To help with the emotional healing parents should talk often about their feelings. Joining a support group whether locally or online will also help parents heal emotionally. For more severe cases, counseling may also be beneficial or speaking with a clergy member. One common mistake couples make, especially when dealing with a miscarriage, is not talking about it or taking their sadness and anger out on each other. Couples therapy may also be beneficial if this becomes an issue.

Once couples have decided to try to conceive again for those who have no underlying fertility problems should find themselves able to conceive again usually within 6 months. Many are pleasantly surprised to find they are pregnant again after only a couple of months of trying. For those who suffer multiple miscarriages or find they are not pregnant after 6 months of trying to conceive they may want to consider speaking with their doctor to see if there are any other underlying issues that should be addressed. There are many cases where once couples relax and let go of the pressure of trying to conceive they find themselves pregnant a month or so later. Other things that can also assist couples include fertility kits that help the couple determine when they are most fertile.

Sources Cited: Based on my own experience of losing my first pregnancy to fetal demise in the second trimester but going on to four healthy children.