Ovulation after Miscarriage – Effects and Symptoms

Experiencing a miscarriage is a deeply emotional and physically challenging event for any woman. Understanding the subsequent ovulation patterns and associated effects is crucial for those hoping to conceive again. Early ovulation after a miscarriage can happen two weeks after the loss of a pregnancy. Miscarriage can be emotionally taxing for a woman. A woman will need time to heal completely to get pregnant again. Your menstrual cycle will come back to normal if you want to conceive and have a healthy pregnancy. In this article, we will take a look into the post-miscarriage ovulation process, highlighting its effects and identifiable symptoms. We have also covered some important FAQs related to the same. Let’s read!

How Does Menstrual Cycle Change After a Miscarriage?

Your body needs time to recover after the loss of a foetus. Hence, periods will very likely resume four to six weeks after the miscarriage. In some women, it may start early too. But, if it is delayed beyond that, visit your gynaecologist. It is possible that your body may treat the miscarriage as a period and resume the menstrual cycle shortly.

Your first period after a miscarriage may bring heavy bleeding with a lot of cervical mucus. You may also see the colour of the cervical mucus change and notice some blood clots. Bleeding differs from woman to woman based on previous cycles. Your periods may last from four to seven days and you may see spotting throughout the month. It is completely normal to go through this strange phase. Your periods will be termed normal again, when you stop bleeding or spotting for 20 days straight.

How Soon Can You Ovulate After a Miscarriage?

Wondering how long after miscarriage do you ovulate? You can start ovulation after miscarriage within two weeks after the day of your miscarriage. Your menstrual cycle will start from day 1 when the bleeding stops. When your hormonal levels return to normal and your periods return, then you may ovulate. If you want to increase your chances of a successful pregnancy, you must try getting pregnant again after one menstrual cycle.

Furthermore, when you try to conceive after a miscarriage, you’re likely to be more fertile and at a lower risk of experiencing pregnancy complications like stillbirth, preeclampsia, and low-birth weight.

Signs of Ovulation After a Miscarriage

Following are the symptoms of ovulation after a miscarriage:

• Heightened sex drive
• Sensitivity or tenderness in the breasts
• Light spotting
• Bloating
• Pain in the lower abdomen
• Cervical mucus that looks clear and thicker
• A slight increase in your basal body temperature

Can You Ovulate Without Having a Menstrual Period?

Yes, it is possible to ovulate without having a menstrual period.

How Do You Calculate When You’re About to Ovulate After the First Miscarriage?

Here are a couple of ways of tracking ovulation after miscarriage –

1. Mark Your Calendar

Start calculating ovulation after miscarriage by marking the first day when you start having your menstrual cycle on the calendar. This is the day when the bleeding stops. If you bleed in an irregular way, mark out those days and keep logging it on your calendar or diary.

2. Note Your Basal Body Temperature Every Day

Get a basal body temperature thermometer and keep track of your temperature every day, early in the morning before getting out of bed. If you’re about to ovulate, the higher temperature ratings may stay consistent day-after-day. However, this isn’t very accurate because if you had a fever or infection, it’ll interfere with your readings.

3. Check Your Cervical Mucus

Your cervical mucus is your body’s way of saying whether you’re ovulating or not. Usually, when women ovulate, it looks thick, clear, stretchy and resembles raw egg whites. If that’s the case, then it’s a sign of good news.

4. Test Your hCG Levels at the Clinic

Visit your doctor and ask for an hCG test. When your hCG readings are zero, your pregnancy hormones start building up for fertility. hCG actually blocks the production of your fertility hormones so if it’s not zero, your ovulation hasn’t yet begun.

How Accurate/Reliable Are Ovulation Tests After Miscarriage?

Ovulation tests monitor the presence of luteinizing hormone (LH) in urine, a key indicator of the fertile window. However, following a miscarriage, hormonal fluctuations may disrupt test accuracy, potentially leading to false positives.

1. Elevated Levels of hCG

The hormone associated with early pregnancy can persist post-miscarriage, influencing LH-based tests.

2. Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)

Women with PCOS may experience consistently high LH levels, potentially yielding misleading ovulation test results.

Does Miscarriage Affect Your Fertility?

Experiencing a miscarriage does not necessarily indicate a long-term impact on fertility. In most cases, women who have had a miscarriage can have successful pregnancies. However, it’s crucial to give your body time to heal both physically and emotionally before attempting to conceive again. If you experience recurrent miscarriages, it’s advisable to consult your doctor for a thorough evaluation and guidance on your specific situation. Remember, each person’s fertility journey is unique, and seeking medical advice can provide valuable insights and support.

When to Consult Your Doctor About Your Fertility?

You should consult your doctor about your fertility if:

• You’re younger than 35 and aren’t able to conceive within a year
• You’re older than 35 and can’t conceive in 6 months’ time
• Can’t conceive because of unexplainable reasons
• You notice heavy bleeding that runs for more than 2 hours after a miscarriage
• You catch a sudden fever after your first miscarriage
• You have gone through multiple miscarriages

FAQs

1. Can I Get Pregnant After Miscarriage?

According to the studies, miscarriage does not negatively impact your chances of getting pregnant successfully. Although miscarriages are quite common, resulting from 1 in 4 confirmed pregnancies, and while they are challenging, most women can go on to have a healthy pregnancy afterwards.

2. Will My Period Get Regular After Miscarriage?

Some women experience irregular periods after their first miscarriage. For others, the first period after miscarriage is heavy and painful. This first period will come about a month after a miscarriage, therefore, late ovulation after miscarriage, but this timing could vary from person to person. 

Hope you have got your answer to, “When will I ovulate after miscarriage.” If you’ve had another miscarriage or it’s your third one already, you should talk to the doctor and get more tests done to see if there are any underlying issues. Every woman is different but it is important to note that life doesn’t stop with just one miscarriage. You can conceive again and if you plan your steps right, you’ll hear the good news eventually. But until then, don’t give up and keep trying!

References/Resources:

1. How common is miscarriage?; tommys.org; https://www.tommys.org/pregnancy-information/im-pregnant/early-pregnancy/how-common-miscarriage

2. Pregnancy after miscarriage: What you need to know; mayoclinic.org; https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/getting-pregnant/in-depth/pregnancy-after-miscarriage/art-20044134

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

4. Miscarriage; marchofdimes.org; https://www.marchofdimes.org/find-support/topics/miscarriage-loss-grief/miscarriage

5. 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

6. Will my period change after pregnancy?; utswmed.org; https://utswmed.org/medblog/period-changes-after-pregnancy/

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

8. How to Chart Your Cycle and Figure Out When You Will Ovulate After a Miscarriage; naturalwomanhood.org; https://naturalwomanhood.org/charting-your-cycle-after-miscarriage-022719/

9. Pregnancy After Miscarriage; americanpregnancy.org; https://americanpregnancy.org/getting-pregnant/pregnancy-loss/pregnancy-after-miscarriage/

Also Read:

Ovulation – Causes, Signs & Know When to Take Test
Is It Possible to Get Pregnant without Ovulation
How to Check Your Cervical Mucus and Detect Ovulation?