Six Months After Miscarriage, Best for Healthy Pregnancy, New Study Says

After a miscarriage, the time a woman should wait before trying for another pregnancy is controversial. Some practitioners believe that there should be no wait time.

Photo: Six Months After Miscarriage, Best for Healthy Pregnancy, New Study Says

A study published online Thursday in the British Medical Journal reports that women who conceive within six months of their miscarriage have the best chance of having a healthy, successful pregnancy, according to Los Angeles Times.

In a population-based study, women who conceived within six months of their initial miscarriage were 34% less likely to miscarry a second time (95% confidence interval 23% to 43%) compared with those who got pregnant again six to 12 months afterward.

A short interval between pregnancies also was linked to lower risk of ectopic pregnancy and cesarean or preterm delivery for these women, Sohinee Bhattacharya, MBBS, MSc, of Aberdeen Maternity Hospital in Aberdeen, Scotland, and colleagues reported online in BMJ.

World Health Organization guidelines recommend waiting at least six months before trying to become pregnant after miscarriage, MedPage Today reports.