First Period After Miscarriage

If you have just had a miscarriage, your body will take time to return to its old self. Your experience with miscarriage would have been something you never want to go through again, but if you want to be a mother in the near future, you need to give yourself the time to recover fully. Take a deep breath, let the changes wash over you, and take good care of yourself and your body because you deserve all the care in the world to bounce back to health. In this article, we will take a look at what to expect from the first period after miscarriage, how long it takes to recover and some more relevant information on the same.

When Can You Expect Your First Period After a Miscarriage?

Waiting for your periods after a miscarriage can be agonising. You have been through a lot, and now your body will take its time to heal and get back to its normal form. And during this time, even your first period after a miscarriage will depend entirely on you and your body.

Ideally, you should expect your first period to come after about four to six weeks of the miscarriage, i.e., when your body has finally healed from the loss of the foetus. Do not panic if your periods come early, but consider going to your gynaecologist if it gets delayed. If your period was regular before the miscarriage and pregnancy, then the interval of 4 to 6 weeks can be considered reasonable. Any further delays will warrant you to keep a close eye on things and head to the doctor.

What Will Your First Period After a Miscarriage Be Like?

Your first period after a miscarriage will be a little unusual as your body will be attempting to recover from the various changes it underwent. Your hormones will be all over the place and after a miscarriage, your hCG levels will need to reach zero. Sometimes, your body might even treat the miscarriage as a period, and your fresh menstrual cycle might just begin within a few days.

Expect your period to be heavier or lighter. It’s perfectly natural to have heavy bleeding during your first period after a miscarriage. You are likely to experience symptoms of pre-menstrual syndrome and witness a whole array of unusual things, such as extra cervical mucus in a range of colours and blood clots. It could be accompanied by discharge with a very strong odour. Apart from this, brace yourself for some pain as well as your first period after a miscarriage will be painful. Bleeding post miscarriage stops quickly after which you’ll observe spotting for a few days. A week later, you will notice spotting again accompanied by cramps and heavy bleeding.

Factors That Affect First Period After Miscarriage

The following factors can affect the first periods after miscarriage.

1. Pregnancy Trimester

Following a miscarriage in the first trimester, the body tends to recover quicker, often leading to a resumption of normal periods within about 2 weeks. However, in cases of later-stage miscarriages, the recovery period is extended, and it might take around 4-6 weeks for menstrual cycles to restart.

2. Underlying Medical Conditions

Women with pre-existing medical conditions like PCOS or endometriosis may continue to experience irregular menstrual cycles even after a miscarriage. The hormonal fluctuations caused by miscarriage can impact the timing of the first post-miscarriage period for individuals with these conditions.

3. Normal Menstrual Cycle

For those with a history of irregular periods before pregnancy, it’s probable that irregularities will persist after a miscarriage. Body weight and higher body mass can also influence menstrual patterns.

4. Emotional Stress

The emotional toll of a miscarriage often leads to significant stress and emotional challenges. This psychological upheaval can disrupt hormonal equilibrium, affecting the menstrual cycle following a miscarriage.

How Long Does the First Period After a Miscarriage Last for?

Again, this is particular to each individual, but you can ideally expect a period to last for 4 to 7 days. It is difficult to state this exactly as it differs from woman to woman. It could be different based on whether you had a spontaneous abortion or a planned one, whether your period was normal before or not, how long your pregnancy was and any other conditions/experiences that you specifically had. You could spot for a month then bleed again; yes, it could be a very strange process! Do not panic about anything. Give your body time to adjust, and it will sort itself out. Complications are very rare.

Pain Relief Measures for Your First Period After a Miscarriage

Since the first period after a miscarriage can be tough on you physically, it would benefit you to take advantage of certain pain relief measures, like the following:

• Using a heating bag or a hot water bottle to alleviate the pain as much as possible
• Abstaining from sex for a while as it could cause you pain; two weeks is the ideal time period to abstain from sex
• Avoiding the use of tampons
• Taking painkillers or trying out natural remedies after consulting your doctor alone

Recovery Before the Arrival of the First Period

So, you have gone through one traumatic experience – the miscarriage – and you are now awaiting your period. While you do, do not stress your body out, both mentally and physically. Listen to what it’s trying to tell you through the symptoms of PMS, the emotional issues you are undergoing, and everything you have faced during this period. Embrace your changes, do not fight these symptoms and the other ups and downs you are going through. Expect everything to disappear in a few weeks and prepare for your new cycle.

Common Recovery

Recovery before the first period post-miscarriage varies. After a first-trimester miscarriage, normal periods may resume within two weeks, whereas later-stage miscarriages might take 4-6 weeks. Underlying conditions like PCOS can prolong irregular cycles, and emotional stress can disrupt hormonal balance. Pre-existing irregular patterns, body weight, and breastfeeding can also affect recovery. Individual factors contribute, making consultation with a healthcare provider crucial for tailored guidance during this period.

Less Common But Normal Recovery

Though less frequent, it’s within the realm of normal for recovery preceding the initial period after a miscarriage to differ. In cases of first-trimester miscarriages, the usual recovery entails the restoration of regular menstrual cycles in approximately 14 days. However, if the miscarriage occurred later in pregnancy, the timeline might extend to 4-6 weeks for the resumption of periods. Elements such as pre-existing medical conditions, emotional stress, and prior irregular cycles can impact the recovery process. Seeking advice from a healthcare professional guarantees personalized guidance during this transitional phase.

Abnormal Recovery That Must Be Monitored

You will witness a heavy flow followed by spotting, but sometimes the spotting may not stop even after weeks. Perhaps, bleeding may stop in between and then start again. In some cases, you may take a pregnancy test, and it could show a positive result. This indicates that your hCG levels are not back to zero, for which you need to consult a professional you trust and let him guide you.

When Does the Cycle Indicate a Serious Problem? 

If the flow is heavy, it can be a problem. If you have tested your hCG levels, and it is at 500 or more, it can pose a problem again. Both these problems arise due to incomplete abortion. Hence, a doctor must be consulted. And if you’re considering family planning after a miscarriage, ensure that you wait for one whole cycle before making any more attempts to conceive. Listen to your doctors; they know what they are doing.

Is It Normal to Not Have Your Periods After a Miscarriage?

The simple answer is, yes. If it has been a couple of months and you had been sexually active during this time period, then chances are that you may be pregnant again.

In rare cases, consider getting a check-up done for Asherman’s syndrome, especially if you have undergone dilation and curettage, as this can cause scarring within the uterus. In fact, one of the symptoms of this syndrome is the absence of periods.

What Does Having Irregular Periods After a Miscarriage Indicate?

First of all, this is a normal phenomenon. Your body is not in a normal place at the moment. Even if things happened regularly before pregnancy and miscarriage, it could take a while for things to settle down after a miscarriage. If you experience issues where there is only spotting, then contact your gynaecologist and ask for the shot of progesterone. Irregular cycle after miscarriage may also indicate the following things:

1. Hormonal Imbalance

Irregular periods following a miscarriage could signify a hormonal imbalance. The body undergoes significant hormonal changes during gestation and miscarriage, which might lead to disruptions in the menstrual cycle. This imbalance can result in irregular timing, duration, or intensity of periods.

2. Incomplete Tissue Removal

If the miscarriage isn’t entirely complete, it could lead to irregular bleeding or prolonged spotting. Some pregnancy tissue might remain in the uterus, causing the body to experience irregular bleeding until the issue is resolved through medical intervention.

3. Delayed Ovulation

Miscarriage can affect the timing of ovulation or the release of an egg from the ovary. Delayed ovulation might result in irregular cycles as the body adjusts to the hormonal changes and attempts to regain its rhythm.

4. Underlying Medical Conditions

Irregular periods after a miscarriage could be indicative of underlying medical conditions, like Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) or thyroid disorders. These conditions can disrupt the normal menstrual cycle and persist after a miscarriage, causing irregular bleeding patterns.

How to Handle Emotionally Upheaval While Waiting for Your First Period After Miscarriage?

The time period after a miscarriage is sure to get you emotional, over the loss of your baby, over the different things happening in your body, everything. Obviously, it will be hard for you to immediately return to your normal self after a miscarriage, but here are a few things you can do to ease the struggle.

• Have a good support system. Surround yourself with people who will help you deal with that pain. Reach out to your partner, your mother, or best friend. It is not likely they will know what you are going through but to have someone with you will ease the burden of carrying it all on your shoulders. Remember, none of this was your fault and what you are feeling is natural.
• Sometimes, the physical pain can be difficult to cope with and as a result, it can have an effect on your mental state as well. The advisable course of action in such situations is to make peace with your physical symptoms and realise you have to make it through them. Take the necessary precautions and pay attention to advice from your doctors as well.
• Maintain a balanced diet, do light workouts and stay active. Shutting yourself off from the world and hiding away will make it worse. These steps will also help you get healthier quicker, especially if you are looking to try for a baby again. Do your body a favour and take good care of it. After all, it has gone through a lot recently, and its strange changes are its way of asking for help.

When to See Doctor?

You must see the doctor if you notice the following signs:

• Abdominal or shoulder pain that’s severe
• A very large amount of bleeding or passing blood clots that are the size of golf balls.
• Fever or chills
• Dizziness
• Fainting
• Diarrhea
• Pain while having a bowel movement
• Weakness
• Very strong-smelling vaginal discharge

FAQs

1. Can I Conceive After Miscarriage Before I Get My First Period?

It’s extremely improbable to experience menstruation while pregnant. This is due to the fact that a growing embryo relies on blood and nutrients, making the occurrence of a regular period unlikely. An exception is in cases of ectopic pregnancy, where the embryo doesn’t attach to the uterine lining, leading to menstrual-like bleeding as the embryo isn’t connected to the lining as it typically would be.

2. Can I Get My First Period While I Am Pregnant?

It’s highly unlikely to experience your first period while you’re pregnant. Pregnancy involves the implantation and development of a fertilized egg in the uterus, which requires a nurturing environment with a well-functioning uterine lining. Menstruation, which involves shedding of the uterine lining, generally doesn’t occur during pregnancy. If you suspect you might be pregnant and are experiencing bleeding, it’s important to consult a healthcare professional for proper evaluation and guidance.

3. Is It Safe to Use Tampons for the First Period After Miscarriage?

You’re safe to use tampons for your initial period. However, it’s advised to avoid them during post-miscarriage bleeding due to an increased vulnerability to vaginal infections.

Embrace the experience your body has gone through and remember to listen to it every step of the way. Whether you had a planned abortion or a miscarriage, your reproductive system comprises of a delicate balance that makes its demands very clear. Your body just needs to go through all the changes that are required post a miscarriage, and perhaps with a little help from a professional, you will be able to manage it much better.

References/Resources:

1. Miscarriage; betterhealth.vic.gov.au; https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/miscarriage

2. What to Expect About First Menstruation After the Miscarriage; newkidscenter.org; https://www.newkidscenter.org/First-Period-after-Miscarriage.html

3. What Happens After a Miscarriage? An Ob-Gyn Discusses the Options.; acog.org; https://www.acog.org/womens-health/experts-and-stories/the-latest/what-happens-after-a-miscarriage-an-ob-gyn-discusses-the-options

4. Trying again after a miscarriage; tommys.org; https://www.tommys.org/baby-loss-support/miscarriage-information-and-support/trying-again-after-miscarriage

5. PREGNANCY AFTER MISCARRIAGE; womens-health-center.org; https://www.womens-health-center.org/obstetrics/getting-pregnant/pregnancy-after-miscarriage/

Also Read:

Early Miscarriage
Different Types of Miscarriage
How to Heal After a Miscarriage?