Miscarriage-Urban Legends
1. If I have a miscarriage it must mean that I can’t ever have children. This is not true. The odds are overwhelmingly in your favor to have a successful pregnancy after having a miscarriage. Studies show that 70% of women successfully conceive after miscarrying.
2. It is not common to have a miscarriage. Quite the contrary. Miscarriages are very common. It is estimated that 50% of all pregnancies end in miscarriage. This statistic includes those pregnancies that have gone undetected and are lost prior to the first missed period. Of known pregnancies it is thought that 20% of these end in miscarriage.
3. If I have a miscarriage I would need to have a surgical procedure. This is not generally true. Most miscarriages are uncomplicated and tend to resolve on their own naturally. Occasionally the natural process of miscarriage is not completed and medical intervention is necessary to clear the uterus. Your doctor will determine what course is best for you to follow.
4. Miscarriages are preventable. This is a common misconception that leads to a lot of feelings of guilt in couples after suffering a pregnancy loss. There are some preventable risk factors that have been associated with miscarriage like smoking, alcohol, drug use or poorly controlled health conditions like diabetes, hypertension, or thyroid problems. However, most losses at this stage are due to random chromosome abnormalities that occur during the fertilization and conception process. There is nothing the parents can do to prevent a loss in this instance.
5. I have to wait at least 6-12 months after a miscarriage before trying again. This is not the case. There is no definitive evidence on the “best” time to try to conceive following a miscarriage. It is important to wait until you have decided as a couple you are emotionally ready. A lot of physicians would agree that it is widely accepted to wait at least until you have had one normal cycle to make assessing the age/delivery date of any subsequent pregnancy easier.
