Debunking 5 Myths About Ovulation After Miscarriage

There’s nothing quite as heartbreaking as the loss of a young life - especially one lost in the womb. Unfortunately, due to the stigma around miscarriage, the experience is often a dark and lonely time for a woman, especially when you have been trying to conceive for a long time. 

According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), 26% of all pregnancies end in miscarriage. 

The silence around the topic of miscarriage leaves many women confused about what actually happens in their bodies during the event. They are especially anxious about how a miscarriage can affect ovulation and fertility. 

There are so many myths floating around about miscarriage and ovulation. Understanding the impact that an early loss of a pregnancy can have on your body can help you be better prepared for your journey to conception. 

Before we clear up some of the most common misconceptions about miscarriages and how they affect our chances of pregnancy, let’s start with the basics! 

If you experience an early pregnancy loss before the 20th week of pregnancy, it is known as a miscarriage. While the most obvious sign of a miscarriage is spontaneous bleeding, many women lose their pregnancies even before they know they are pregnant. So, they may mistake a miscarriage for a heavy, painful period. 

About 50% of miscarriages are due to chromosomal abnormalities, so they can’t be avoided. This is why parents must undergo genetic counseling and testing before trying to conceive. 

Studies show that certain medical conditions and lifestyle habits may also cause your risk of miscarriage to increase, especially during the early stages of pregnancy. 

These include: 

With all the fear and apprehension around miscarriages, it’s not surprising that many myths revolving around the topic leave you unsure about your next steps. 

Don’t worry! We’re here to bust those myths and provide evidence-based information that will clear all your doubts about miscarriages and their effect on ovulation. Let’s get started. 

FACT 1: The first period after a miscarriage is usually irregular 

Most women miscarry before 12 weeks of pregnancy. You can expect to get your period 4-6 weeks after the miscarriage, but this varies from person to person, depending on how far along the pregnancy was before the miscarriage. 

If you were closer to the end of your first trimester or in your second trimester, when you miscarried, your period might take longer to return. This is because you have higher human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) levels during the later stages of your pregnancy. These levels take even longer to return to baseline before your period bleeding can begin. 

It’s not just the time of your period that gets delayed. A miscarriage also affects menstrual pain, flow, and duration of your cycles. 

Flow: If you usually experience lighter periods, the first period after a miscarriage may be heavier and more prolonged. This is called menorrhagia, which occurs because ovulation has not happened yet. However, the endometrial lining is thicker than it usually is. When the uterine lining sheds, it causes a heavier, longer period bleed, which may also have clots. 

Pain: Along with a heavy flow, you may also experience bloating and cramping during your periods. 

Spotting: As your hormones fluctuate before returning to their baseline, you may notice light bleeding or spotting between the first few cycles after a miscarriage. 

FACT 2: Hyperovulation is rare after a miscarriage 

We know that an egg is released from a mature follicle in one of the ovaries during ovulation. That’s when you are most likely to get pregnant. So, a common misconception that people have is that if you go through a miscarriage, you can release more eggs in your next few cycles through a process called hyperovulation. 

Hyperovulation occurs in two ways- either one ovary releases more than one egg, or both the ovaries release one egg each. In theory, if more eggs are released during ovulation, your chances of getting pregnant again also increase. 

But the question is - does this also hold true after a miscarriage?  

Well, the answer is not that simple. 

While a few studies suggest that women may find it easier to get pregnant after a miscarriage, no conclusive evidence shows that hyperovulation is more common after a miscarriage. The evidence is not conclusive, so more research needs to be done on the subject. 

FACT 3: Miscarriages usually do not affect fertility. 

Miscarriages during early pregnancy are usually one-time events. Repeated miscarriages are rare, with studies showing just 1% of women going through them. However,  even women who lose more than one pregnancy can successfully conceive and carry babies to term. 

Research shows that your odds of miscarrying could be: 

Why do women experience repeated miscarriages? 

While a miscarriage may not drastically impact your fertility or chances of conception, some factors can increase your risk of a repeated miscarriage. 

What can you do to improve your fertility chances after a miscarriage? 

When should you ask your doctor for help if you are worried about your fertility after a miscarriage? 

FACT 4: There is no defined wait time to try and conceive after a miscarriage. 

As we discussed earlier, women ovulate at different times after a miscarriage. Therefore, the extent of hormonal fluctuations differs based on how far along they were in their pregnancy when they miscarried. 

However, if your miscarriage is complete and your bleeding has stopped, you can start trying to conceive in as little as two weeks. 

The problem is that many physicians have differing views on the ideal time to wait before resuming your efforts to get pregnant. Many recommend waiting at least three months, while the World Health Organization (WHO) advises waiting at least six months after a miscarriage. This is based on research that shows that getting pregnant very soon after a pregnancy loss may increase your chances of anemia, preterm birth, or a low birth weight baby. 

This conflicts with more studies revealing that your pregnancy outcomes are not affected even if you get pregnant immediately. 

This is supported by the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, which doesn’t recommend waiting. Researchers at the University of Aberdeen found that women who conceived less than six months after a miscarriage had:

With conflicting viewpoints and guidelines,  the question remains: HOW LONG should you wait before you try to conceive again? 

Here are some alternative points that could help you decide either way. 

FACT 5: Armed with the right tools and information, tracking ovulation after miscarriage is simple. 

After weighing your choices, if you want to get pregnant again, the first and most helpful step is to pay attention to the signs of ovulation. Once you identify your ovulation date, you can determine your fertile window. Having sex during this phase can increase your chances of conception naturally. 

Ovulatory cycles can return to normal as early as two weeks to a few months after a miscarriage. However, if you miscarry after 13 weeks of pregnancy, ovulation may also occur late. This is normal for the first few cycles, and after a few months, as your hormones return to your baseline, your ovulation routine will also regularize. 

Ovulation generally occurs around 12-14 days before your next period. An easy way to keep track of your ovulation after a miscarriage is to chart your monthly cycle over time and pay attention to the known signs of ovulation.  These include: 

While these are useful symptoms to watch out for, the most reliable way to track your ovulation is by using a fertility monitor. For example, the Inito Fertility Monitor accurately calculates your fertile window by identifying your ovulation period and increasing your chances of a successful conception by 89%. It measures all four fertility hormones - estrogen, luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), and progesterone (PdG) giving you a full picture of your cycle.

Ovulation Predictor Kits (OPKs) work by detecting Luteinizing Hormone (LH), the hormone that spikes before ovulation in your urine. LH levels surge 24-36 hours before ovulation. It then triggers the rupture of a mature follicle in your ovary, which releases the egg. So a positive ovulation test indicates that you are close to your ovulation date. 

While OPKs are fairly accurate, taking a test too soon after a miscarriage may throw off the test, giving you a false positive result. Even after a miscarriage, your body may still contain high hCG levels (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin) or the “pregnancy hormone.” These levels can interfere with ovulation tests. In addition, women with PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) have high levels of LH throughout their cycle due to a hormonal imbalance, which can also cause misleading results. If you have any doubts about the results of your tests, don’t hesitate to ask your doctor for help.  

Moreover, if you really want to have a child, you can always try to adopt. Adoption is a meaningful and compassionate path that brings hope and love into the lives of countless individuals. It provides an opportunity for both children and adoptive parents to embark on a remarkable journey of growth, connection, and mutual support. The decision to pursue adoption is often driven by a profound desire to create a family and make a positive impact on a child's life. Adoption quotes serve as inspiring reminders of the profound impact adoption has on individuals and families. They encapsulate the beauty, love, and selflessness that characterize the adoption journey. One such quote by author, Kate McGahan, powerfully states, "Adoption is not the call to have the perfect, rosy family. It's the call to give love, mercy, and patience." These words highlight the transformative nature of adoption, emphasizing the importance of love and understanding in creating a nurturing family dynamic.

Now that we have broken down the common myths around ovulation after a miscarriage, you are armed with the knowledge you need to face this stressful time. Even though a pregnancy loss is a tragic event in your journey to motherhood, there is light at the end of the tunnel!