Recurrent Miscarriage

Frequently asked questions

• What is a miscarriage?

  A miscarriage occurs when you lose a baby within the first 20 weeks of pregnancy.

  Miscarriages are common, taking place in around 10% of women who know they're pregnant. The actual figures could be higher, as it's possible to miscarry without being aware you were pregnant.

• What causes a miscarriage?

  About half of miscarriages are the result of the embryo having the incorrect number of chromosomes (the structures inside your cells that carry your genes). Most human cells contain 23 pairs of chromosomes, making a total of 46 altogether. Eggs and sperm have 23 chromosomes each, so when conception occurs, the resulting embryo has 46 chromosomes — half from the mother and half from the father.

  If the egg or the sperm contains an abnormal number of chromosomes, the resulting embryo will also have the abnormality. As a result, it doesn't develop as it should, which can trigger a miscarriage.

• Are miscarriages preventable?

  Most women wonder if they could have done something to avoid miscarrying, but the truth is that in the vast majority of cases, there's nothing you could have done to prevent it. There's no evidence to show that activities like working, exercising or sex cause miscarriages. Even falls and shocks are extremely unlikely to result in a miscarriage.

  However, it’s important to note that the risk of experiencing a miscarriage does increase as you get older. In women over 40, around a third of pregnancies end in miscarriage.

• Can I have another baby after a miscarriage?

  First-trimester miscarriage is usually a one-off occurrence, and most women subsequently have successful pregnancies.

  Repeated miscarriages are uncommon, so if you've suffered several miscarriages, you might want to undergo testing to determine if there's an underlying cause. Even if there doesn't seem to be an identifiable reason for the miscarriages, in time, most couples do eventually succeed in having a child.

• How soon after a miscarriage can I try for another baby?

  There’s no reason why most women can’t start trying for a baby again soon after a miscarriage. Physically, it’s possible to ovulate and conceive as little as two weeks after a miscarriage.

  Many couples prefer to wait longer simply because they need time to come to terms with their loss before trying again. On a practical note, if you wait until you've had a period before trying again, it's easier to work out your due date when you become pregnant.