Does Having One Miscarriage Mean It Will Happen Again?

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You, or someone you know has just had a miscarriage and the effects are devastating. You find yourself asking questions, wanting to know why that miscarriage happened and if it’s normal. If you lost your baby, you are probably thinking, “what is wrong with me?” “What did I do wrong?” You are also probably wondering if it’s going to affect your next pregnancy.

This reaction is completely natural. And we want to let you know that

There is nothing wrong with you.

A lot of women have miscarriages and go on to have perfectly healthy pregnancies afterward. Actually, 85 percent of women who have had previous miscarriages have carried their next pregnancies to term. Yes, this is cold comfort and it might not make you feel better if you’ve just had a miscarriage, but it’s something to think about.

As heartbreaking as it is to lose a pregnancy, Doctors believe that it’s normal and will not start looking into possible causes until a woman has miscarried three or more times. Even though there are cases where that happens, they are actually very low.

What is a miscarriage?

A miscarriage is known medically as a Self Aborting Pregnancy (SAP) and it is said to happen when a pregnancy terminates before the fetus is viable. A fetus is said to be viable only when it can survive outside the womb and this is not until the 20th week of pregnancy in the US and the 23rd week in the UK.

Miscarriages are quite common, but they can be really traumatic and devastating.

How to know the signs of a possible miscarriage 

If the pregnant woman is spotting or bleeding, then she is very likely having a miscarriage. There are also some other signs to look out for such as:

• Sharp pain and cramping in the abdomen
• Liquid discharge from the vagina
• Feeling faint, light-headed or dizzy
• Tissue discharge from the vagina

If you or any pregnant woman you know is experiencing any of the signs above, go immediately to a hospital.

If you’ve had a miscarriage, don’t let it destroy your life. Statistics show that half of all pregnancies are miscarried in the first trimester and that majority go on to have successful pregnancies which are carried to full term afterward. And even those who have had two miscarriages still go on to have successful pregnancies afterward – 75 percent of them.