Miscarriage? Try Again Soon — Study

Women who had a miscarriage can successfully get pregnant when they try again sooner

Women who suffered a miscarriage can successfully get pregnant when they try sooner compared to women who opt to wait longer to have another one, a study reveals Friday.

The research study also finds that those women who try as soon as possible are also less likely to have a subsequent miscarriage, premature deliveries, cesarean operations, or low-birth weight babies.

The British Medical Journal published the results of the study, which is expected to be met with controversy because it goes against current standards set by health experts.

The World Health Organization (WHO) suggests that women must wait for at least six months after a miscarriage before getting pregnant again. Some physicians even recommend waiting longer before trying.

The study reviewed the pregnancy histories of 30,000 women patients at the Aberdeen Maternity Hospital in Scotland, recording their miscarriages during the first pregnancy and their next pregnancy during the period 1981 to 2000.

"Our research shows that women who conceive within six months of an initial miscarriage have the best reproductive outcomes and the lowest complication rates in a subsequent pregnancy," the researchers reported.

The study concluded that, "It is unnecessary for women to delay conception after a miscarriage."

There were no significant differences in outcome between all socio-economic levels.

Researchers suggested that women who delayed pregnancy are seen in more affluent groups, where having children later seems to be preferred.

"Women over 35 are more likely to experience difficulties in conceiving and women aged 40 have a 30 percent chance of miscarriage, which rises to 50 percent in those aged 45 or more," the study noted.

Posted by George Daniels on Saturday August 07 2010, 12:58 PM EDT. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under Featured News, Health. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0