Trying again after a miscarriage: your chances, extra care and coping with worry

After a miscarriage, thinking about another pregnancy can bring up hope and fear at the same time. There’s no right way to feel and no rush to decide. Here’s what the evidence says about trying again, the extra support you can ask for, and how to look after yourself if you do get pregnant.

When can I try again?

The NHS says you can try to get pregnant again when you feel ready, once your miscarriage symptoms have gone. Wait until the bleeding has stopped before having sex, because until then there’s a risk of infection.

After an early miscarriage there’s no health reason to wait longer, although some hospitals suggest waiting for one period first. There’s even some evidence that getting pregnant within 6 months of a miscarriage may lower the chance of another one.

Being physically ready and emotionally ready aren’t always the same thing. Some people want to try again straight away, and others need months. It’s a personal choice, and both are completely understandable.

When you might be advised to wait

After a molar pregnancy, wait until your specialist centre tells you your follow-up has finished. How long this takes depends on the type of molar pregnancy and how quickly your hCG falls. It’s often a few months, but it can be longer, and it’s a year if you needed chemotherapy.
After an ectopic pregnancy treated with surgery, you’ll probably be advised to wait until you’ve had at least 2 periods.
After an ectopic pregnancy treated with medicine (methotrexate), wait at least 3 months and use reliable contraception in that time, because the medicine can harm a baby if you get pregnant during it.

Periods and ovulation

Your next period usually comes 4 to 6 weeks after a miscarriage, though it can take up to 8 weeks, and a few months for your cycle to settle back into its usual pattern. You can ovulate before that first period, so you could get pregnant before it arrives. If you don’t want to get pregnant yet, use contraception.

If you are trying again, take 400 micrograms of folic acid every day while you’re trying and until you’re 12 weeks pregnant.

What are my chances?

Most people who have a miscarriage go on to have a successful pregnancy. Most early miscarriages are one-off events, and miscarriages very rarely happen because of something you did or didn’t do.

Tommy’s says that even after 3 miscarriages, if no cause is found, around 6 in 10 women go on to have a baby. Your own chances depend on things like your age and how many losses you’ve had, so it’s worth asking your doctor what they mean for you.

Some things are linked with a higher chance of miscarriage, including smoking, alcohol, a lot of caffeine, and living with obesity or being underweight. Having any of these doesn’t mean it caused your miscarriage. Not all of them are in your control, but if you want to make changes before trying again, your GP can help.

When is it recurrent miscarriage?

Recurrent miscarriage means having 3 or more miscarriages. Since UK guidance changed in 2023, they don’t have to be one after another: a healthy pregnancy in between still counts, and the pregnancies don’t have to be with the same partner.

Talk to your GP if you’ve had 3 or more miscarriages. You should be offered tests, ideally at a specialist recurrent miscarriage clinic, to look for a cause that can be treated. You might be offered tests after 2 early miscarriages too, for example if you’re in your late 30s or older, it took a long time to get pregnant, or your doctor thinks there could be an underlying cause. Tests should also be offered after one miscarriage in the second trimester.

Tests can look for blood clotting conditions such as antiphospholipid syndrome, hormone problems, genetic causes and the shape of the womb. About half of couples who have tests don’t get a clear reason. That can be hard to hear, but it also means there’s a good chance the next pregnancy will be successful without any treatment.

Ectopic and molar pregnancies aren’t usually counted towards recurrent miscarriage, because they happen in a different way. You’ll still get the right follow-up care after them.

Not every hospital follows the 2023 guidance yet, so it’s worth asking what’s offered locally.

Extra care in your next pregnancy

Tell your midwife or GP about your previous loss at your first appointment, so they can take it into account in your care.
If you bleed in early pregnancy, contact your early pregnancy unit. If you’ve had a miscarriage before, NICE recommends offering progesterone (400mg twice a day, used vaginally) once a scan has shown the pregnancy is in the womb. If the scan shows a heartbeat, you carry on taking it until you’re 16 weeks pregnant.
Early scans. Some doctors and early pregnancy units offer extra scans after a loss, and if you’re bleeding you can ask about an early scan. After an ectopic pregnancy, you should usually be offered an early scan at around 6 to 7 weeks.
Specialist care should be offered if you’ve had 3 or more miscarriages, and it can include extra scans.
Private scans. If you pay for a reassurance scan in England, choose a provider registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
Rainbow clinics. If you’ve lost a baby from 16 weeks of pregnancy onwards, Tommy’s Rainbow Clinic at St Mary’s Hospital in Manchester offers specialist care in the next pregnancy, including extra scans from 23 weeks. Some other NHS hospitals run their own rainbow clinics, so ask your midwife what’s available near you.

Coping with worry in a new pregnancy

Many people find a pregnancy after loss feels different. You might feel anxious rather than excited, dread scans, or hold off telling people. None of that means anything is wrong with you or with the pregnancy.

Take it one appointment at a time, and try writing your thoughts down to help make sense of them.
Be mindful of how much you read online, especially late at night.
Talk to people who understand. Miscarriage UK runs online pregnancy after loss support groups.
Tell your midwife or GP how you’re feeling. If low mood or anxiety lasts more than a couple of weeks, or gets in the way of everyday life, ask for support. The NHS has talking therapies and specialist mental health care for pregnancy.
Remember your partner may be grieving or anxious too, and support is available for partners as well.

Miscarriage UK (formerly the Miscarriage Association): 0303 003 6464, 9am to 8pm on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and 9am to 4pm on Tuesday and Thursday. It also runs support groups, including for pregnancy after loss.
Tommy’s midwives: 0800 0147 800, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.

Questions people ask

Do I need to wait for a period before trying again?

Not for health reasons after an early miscarriage. Some hospitals suggest waiting for one period, but it’s up to you. Waiting longer is only advised after some types of loss, such as a molar or ectopic pregnancy.

Will I have another miscarriage?

Most people don’t. Most early miscarriages are one-off, and there’s a very good chance your next pregnancy will be successful. Even after several losses, most people go on to have a baby.

Can I ask for an early scan next time?

Yes, you can ask. If you’re bleeding, contact your early pregnancy unit. If you’ve had a miscarriage before, they may offer a scan to see whether progesterone could help. Early pregnancy units should also accept you without a GP referral if you’ve had recurrent miscarriages or an ectopic or molar pregnancy.

When should I do a pregnancy test?

Soon after a miscarriage, a test can still be positive because the pregnancy hormone takes a while to clear. Read positive pregnancy test after a miscarriage for what that can mean. In a new cycle, see the two week wait for when to test.

When to get help

Mild cramps that ease with rest are usually nothing to worry about. But if you’re pregnant, or think you could be, get urgent advice from your maternity unit, an early pregnancy unit or NHS 111 if you have:

any bleeding or spotting, even if it’s light
tummy pain that’s severe, on one side, or hasn’t eased after resting for 30 to 60 minutes
pain in the tip of your shoulder

Call 999 if you have bleeding along with severe tummy pain, pain in your shoulder, or feeling sick, faint or dizzy, or if the bleeding is heavy (soaking a pad soon after putting it on). Also call 999 if you have sudden, sharp and intense tummy pain and you feel very dizzy or faint, feel sick or look very pale. These can be signs of an ectopic pregnancy or a miscarriage that need treating straight away.