The idea of miscarriage is a scary thing. It is thought that 10-20 percent of pregnancies end in a miscarriage. That’s a really high number. It means there's a good chance you know of someone who has had at least one. In fact, it's believed the number should be even higher. Miscarriages often happen before the 20th week in a pregnancy, so there are probably even more women who didn’t even realize they were pregnant when it happened.

Though there are varying reasons for a miscarriage; whether it be the mother's health or a problem with the baby’s chromosomes, often the exact reason is never known, but the fact is that the baby wasn’t developing normally. Fortunately, though the statistics for miscarriages are high, they are usually a one-time occurrence in most women – meaning there's a reasonable expectation of a successful pregnancy in the future.

When is it safe to try and get pregnant again?

Physically you will heal almost immediately from a miscarriage – a few hours to a few days. It’s entirely possible to get pregnant again during your very next menstrual cycle. However, you may want to make sure that you have healed emotionally. Miscarriages can cause you to experience a wide range of emotions, such as anger, sadness or guilt. It is important that you don’t rush the grieving process and allow yourself to experience these feelings fully. Once you get pregnant again you’ll probably be a little more scared and anxious – at least until the first trimester is over. So it is better to make sure you have processed any lingering emotions from the loss before proceeding. Once you feel ready to try again, ask your health care provider for guidance.

Though statistically you are less likely to have a second or a third miscarriage, there can be underlying reasons for having difficulty carrying a pregnancy to term. Work closely with your doctor to see if there are tests you should be taking before trying to conceive again.