Losing a baby through a miscarriage is a devastating experience. The decision to try again to conceive afterward may have been a difficult one to make, but there is a very good chance you will be successful. Doctors and fertility experts agree that one miscarriage does not guarantee a second one in the future. Even women who have miscarried more than once have a 75% chance of conceiving again. Although there is no treatment that can give you 100% protection from future miscarriages, you can increase your chances of getting pregnant after miscarriage by taking good care of your body and yourself.
Possible causes
The most common causes of miscarriage are due to chromosomal problems in the embryo, physical defects in the uterus, immune system dysfunctions, or a hormonal imbalance. However, it's very likely that pollutants, the medicines we take, and poor nutrition played a role in its occurrence. For instance, chromosomal defects can be caused by a deficiency in the trace mineral selenium. This mineral, which can be found in many green vegetables, protects the body from pollutants and toxins that can do DNA damage. Researchers discovered that women who miscarried have lower levels of selenium in their blood than women who have successfully delivered babies.
Seemingly harmless over-the-counter drugs can also increase the risk of miscarrying. A study by Kaiser Permanente from San Francisco discovered that 24% of women who took aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen miscarried before the 20th week of their pregnancy versus a 15% miscarriage rate among women who didn't take these drugs. Although this phenomenon has to be examined more closely by other researchers, the study theorized that these drugs suppress the production of prostaglandins. These hormone-like substances participate in pain-signaling, but they are also required for a fertilized egg to successfully implant itself onto the uterus.
Even fertility drugs can provoke miscarriages. Clomid is known to, in some cases, interfere with the uterine lining and prevent a fertilized egg from implanting itself. And with gonadotrophin treatment, which is another technique to stimulate ovulation, a similar phenomenon has also been observed. So even if these fertility drugs increase the chances of conceiving, they also ironically increase the odds of a failed pregnancy.
Remedies against future miscarriages
Miscarriages are caused by factors beyond your control, but there are some simple things you can do to increase the odds of a successful and trouble-free pregnancy.
Have a pre-conception examination
Before attempting to conceive after a miscarriage, visit your gynecologist or physician for a pre-conception examination. This exam will actually involve a series of tests to check if you have infections or underlying health problems that can threaten your pregnancy. Many miscarriages are caused by infections that need to be treated before you conceive again, or severe infections that just happened to occur during the early part of pregnancy. One of these is called bacterial vaginosis, an infection that makes a pregnant woman five times more likely to experience a late miscarriage or premature birth. Other infections include Chlamydia, toxoplasmosis, herpes, and mycoplasma hominis. Many of these conditions show no immediate symptoms, which is why it is essential to be screened and treated before trying to conceive again.
Increase your intake of folic acid
According to Sweden's Karolinska Institute, one common nutrition-related cause of miscarriages is low levels of folic acid. This B-vitamin is essential for proper embryo development and cell growth, which can explain why a lack of folic acid contributes to miscarriages due to chromosomal abnormalities. A deficiency in folic acid is also connected to low blood supply to the placenta, hypertension, and placental separation during pregnancy, which place the mother at high risk of miscarriage. Doctors recommend consuming at least 400mcg of folic acid before trying to conceive. You can obtain folic acid from sources such as green leafy vegetables, beans, whole grains or pre-natal vitamins which contain the recommended daily allowance of the nutrients needed for a healthy pregnancy.
Observe food safety techniques
Two kinds of food-borne bacteria called listeria and T. gondii can cause an infection called toxoplasmosis known to induce early miscarriage. Listeria can be found in unpasteurized milk products, undercooked meat, and soft cheeses, while T. gondii can be found in undercooked meat and unwashed fruits or vegetables. Toxoplasmosis itself only causes flu-like symptoms in the mother, but it can be passed on to a growing baby and cause a miscarriage, birth defects, or retardation.
Fortunately, this infection can be prevented by following basic food safety techniques. Always wash your hands before you prepare food or handle raw meats. All fruits and vegetables must also be washed under running water before consuming. Cook all your meat and poultry until they are well done, and reheat all leftovers until they steam. Never use a microwave to reheat food because this will not kill bacteria.
Maintain a healthy weight through diet and exercise
Studies show that women who are overweight or obese before pregnancy are more likely to experience a miscarriage or other complications like hypertension, gestational diabetes, and pre-eclampsia. If you are overweight, speak with a nutritionist and ask for a diet plan that can help you obtain a healthy weight. Do not go on a crash diet because the sudden weight loss will deplete your body of nutrients needed for a healthy pregnancy. Regular exercise is good too, but make sure you do not overdo it; strenuous exercise places the body under stress, which makes it more difficult to conceive.
You can conceive after a miscarriage
Going through a miscarriage may have been painful and traumatic, but that doesn't mean that your next pregnancy will end the same way. As long as you take good care of yourself and follow your doctor's advice, you too have an excellent chance of giving birth to a healthy baby.
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