Miscarriage is the involuntary ending of a pregnancy in which the fetus leaves the uterus too soon in the development process to survive. Most miscarriages do not have a definite cause, but the majority of women will typically be able to conceive in the future after they have experienced a loss of pregnancy. There may be a connection between miscarriage and fertility, particularly in the immediate time period after the event, but the effect may vary widely between each woman and the circumstances surrounding her miscarriage.
Some women may be more likely to easily conceive again immediately after the loss of a pregnancy. If the miscarriage was before 12 weeks in the pregnancy, the connection between an early miscarriage and fertility may be higher for a temporary period of time. This temporary increase in fertility will usually remain after a woman starts to ovulate and experience menstrual periods again. A woman’s fertility levels will generally return back to what it normally was within two months.
The relationship between miscarriage and fertility may also be negative in some women. This decrease in fertility may be due to both physical and emotional factors. Each subsequent miscarriage may decrease her odds of successfully conceiving again because it may be due to underlying fertility issues that are not caused by the miscarriages. Some women, regardless of the number of miscarriages they may have had, may also experience deep feelings of grief after a miscarriage. The stress from dealing with the grief may affect their abilities to conceive after a miscarriage.
Even if a woman’s fertility levels are normal or higher than normal, a doctor may advise her to wait before attempting to get pregnant again. For example, if a woman is still dealing with the grief of losing her pregnancy, she may not be emotionally motivated enough to properly take care of her body by taking prenatal vitamins or eating a healthy diet. This may put her at a higher risk of a future miscarriage or cause developmental issues with the fetus even if the pregnancy remains intact. A doctor will tell a patient it is safe to attempt conception once he or she is satisfied that his or her patient is physically and emotionally prepared.
Unless an underlying condition is discovered in a woman, there tends to be no definite long-term correlation between miscarriage and fertility. Whether there are increases or decreases in fertility levels in women after they experience miscarriages, these effects will most likely go away within six weeks. If a doctor determines the miscarriages are not due to underlying health conditions, women will usually be able to successfully become pregnant after miscarriages.