Miscarriage aftercare
WHAT SYMPTOMS SHOULD I BE WORRIED ABOUT?
PLEASE SEEK URGENT ATTENTION IF YOU:
• Soak 2 big sanitary pads an hour, for 2 hours.
• Have pain that is not getting better with regular pain relief.
• Feel your bleeding is very smelly.
• Have a temperature or fever of 38 degrees or higher.
• Have diarrhoea, vomiting or weakness
• Are worried about any of your symptoms
• Soak 2 big sanitary pads an hour, for 2 hours.
• Have pain that is not getting better with regular pain relief.
• Feel your bleeding is very smelly.
• Have a temperature or fever of 38 degrees or higher.
• Have diarrhoea, vomiting or weakness
• Are worried about any of your symptoms
when can i try for another pregnancy?
We suggest you start taking 400mcg folic acid daily and wait until your next normal period before you try again. Folic acid may reduce the chances of you conceiving a baby with spina bifida, and works best if you take it for three months before conceiving. Reduce alcohol and coffee intake and stop smoking – all increase chances of having a healthy pregnancy.
when can i go back to work?
Most women feel able to go back to work quickly after a miscarriage others like to take a few days to recover. It will depend on how you feel, what kind of job you have and when you feel ready. Remember, you should not drive or operate machinery for 48 hours following a general anaesthetic.
when will my next period come?
This can vary but most women have their next period around 4-6 weeks after a miscarriage.
what hygiene information do i need to know?
Bath and shower as normal (be careful if you had a general anaesthetic). Use sanitary pads and not tampons until your next period. We recommend you don’t go swimming until the bleeding settles.
why can't i wear tampons?
We don’t want you to get an infection after your abortion, and although there is no evidence that tampons will cause this, we suggest that as a precaution, sanitary pads are better for this bleeding. You can use tampons with your following period.
do i need a post treatment check?
If you had the medical treatment (tablets), you will need to repeat the pregnancy test in 2 weeks to ensure that your treatment has been successful.
If you had a surgical treatment, you should not normally need a check up unless you have concerns.
If you had a surgical treatment, you should not normally need a check up unless you have concerns.
what happens to the pregnancy?
If you pass the pregnancy in hospital, it will be sent to the laboratory, where they will take a small sample and place it on a slide and look under a microscope. If this confirms you have had a miscarriage, it will help us to plan your follow up care, but unfortunately it won’t tell us why this happened to you. This sample is kept for 30 years.
All remaining fetal tissue will be included in a shared cremation at the local crematorium.
If you pass the pregnancy in hospital and we can confirm this visually, then we would transfer baby to the mortuary, and this would be included in the shared cremation as mentioned above.
Shared cremation normally happens about 4 weeks after your surgery, so please let us know if don’t want this to happen, and would prefer to take the pregnancy tissue home. Please ask us if you would like more information on our protocols
If pregnancy tissue is not confirmed, we may need to arrange further blood tests, scans or pregnancy tests
All remaining fetal tissue will be included in a shared cremation at the local crematorium.
If you pass the pregnancy in hospital and we can confirm this visually, then we would transfer baby to the mortuary, and this would be included in the shared cremation as mentioned above.
Shared cremation normally happens about 4 weeks after your surgery, so please let us know if don’t want this to happen, and would prefer to take the pregnancy tissue home. Please ask us if you would like more information on our protocols
If pregnancy tissue is not confirmed, we may need to arrange further blood tests, scans or pregnancy tests
what do i need to know about infection?
If you develop a raised temperature, flu-like symptoms, vaginal discharge that looks or smells offensive and/or abdominal pain that gets worse, rather than better, please contact your doctor. You may need a course of antibiotics. You can reduce the risk of infection by using pads (not tampons) for this bleeding, and avoid intercourse until the bleeding stops. If the bleeding continues to be heavy or gets heavier than a period, you should contact your GP or your treatment unit to discuss further.
how will i feel afterwards?
Everyone will have an individual experience when it comes to their emotions after a miscarraige, for some women these can be quite strong, for others it may be less so. Whatever emotions you feel, be reassured that these are completely normal, and there will be other women who have been in your position, feeling exactly the same as you. If you have someone you can talk to about your experience and your feelings, this often helps. We normally suggest that you take a few weeks after your treatment to allow your feelings to settle. If you find though that things are a little difficult, and you would like an appointment to meet with the Counsellor, please contact us. Alternatively, you could contact your GP or visit the Miscarriage Association:
