Knowing these things can help, as women often berate themselves thinking they may have done something that triggered the miscarriage.
“I kept worrying over the details,” Sarah says. “Like if I had too much to drink one night at dinner or if I hung around smokers too much.” Physicians will clarify matters and help you stop beating yourself up.
Rachel says that for her, speaking with her doctor helped. “I had a good chat with my OBGYN who (later) delivered my son, and he helped me to understand why these things happen and that typically they indicate that the fetus wasn’t developing normally, and not a sign that I had been doing anything wrong.”
Obviously there is no real way to completely prevent a miscarriage. If a woman has a preexisting medical condition or abnormal menstrual periods, Dr. Innes suggests a visit with her physician prior to attempting a pregnancy.
“All women should take a prenatal vitamin with folic acid prior to conception, as this lowers the risk of neural tube defects that can be associated with miscarriage,” she adds.
An important thing to remember is that having a miscarriage does not lower a woman’s chances of having a baby later. In fact, some experts estimate as many as 85 percent of women who have miscarriages later had successful pregnancies. Women may not even have to wait long after a miscarriage to try to conceive again.
“If the miscarriage occurs spontaneously early in the first trimester without surgery or complications, many women can attempt pregnancy with the next menstrual cycle,” says Dr. Innes. “The best answer is to ask your doctor when she thinks it would be safe to conceive.”
In the end, no one can take away your pain for this loss. Reaching out to friends for support, writing in a journal, or talking with your doctor may help. Just know you aren’t alone.
Did this article help you? What advice do you have for others if you’ve gone through a miscarriage?
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