After a miscarriage
Anti-D immunoglobulin
After a miscarriage, many midwives and doctors administer anti-D immunoglobulin (also called anti-D) in women with the blood group rhesus negative. It prevents the appearance of rhesus antibodies and the associated problems in a subsequent pregnancy. Medically, it is not required to administer anti-D if the ultrasound has shown that there is no embryo, or if it was rejected at a very early stage. If you have any questions, please contact our midwives.
Physical recovery after a miscarriage
The physical recovery after a spontaneous miscarriage or curettage is usually quick and smooth. During one to two weeks there may be some blood loss and brown secretion. After the blood loss has stopped, the body is restored sufficiently to get pregnant again. It’s not harder to get pregnant after a miscarriage. Our midwives advise you to wait one cycle before getting pregnant again.
Emotional recovery after a miscarriage
A miscarriage is often very profound. The miscarriage brings an abrupt end to your plans and the fantasies about having a child. Many women are initially quite shocked. Especially in the first few weeks, the grief can be very intense. In addition to sadness, there may be other feelings such as guilt, shame, disbelief, anger, feeling of emptiness, failure of the body or jealousy to other pregnant women. These feelings are very understandable. Take the time to process these feelings and try to talk to someone you trust. For the outside world, the loss is usually invisible. This makes it harder to share your feelings with others. Everyone processes a miscarriage in her or his own way. A difference in processing can put pressure on your relationship. Try to talk about this with each other and give each other space and time to process the loss. When other children in the family knew you were pregnant, it is usually good to talk about the miscarriage openly and simply. You can also find support from other people who have experienced the same. Of course, our midwives are there for you in a talk after miscarriage.
Talk after miscarriage
Feel free to make an appointment with our midwives to discuss the miscarriage, for example after a few weeks or when you need it. Perhaps you would like to talk again about the cause of the miscarriage, your physical recovery, the onset of menstruation or the processing of the loss. Do you have questions, feelings or fears in your mind for a next pregnancy? Feel free to ask them. If you do not want a new pregnancy (yet), you can inform about a good contraceptive method. Women who become pregnant after a miscarriage often feel insecure and afraid for a while. They are happy, but are also scared that a miscarriage might happen again. These feelings are very normal. Usually a subsequent pregnancy goes well, and it can even help with processing the grief. If you have experienced two or more consecutive miscarriages, it is possible to conduct further examinations. Our midwives can give you more information.
In conclusion
The above describes the process of an average miscarriage, what happens when a miscarriage is identified and what feelings can come into play. There are always exceptions, which may make the process different. If you have any further questions after reading this leaflet or if you have any concerns, please contact our midwives.