If you have a missed miscarriage, will it happen again?

A missed miscarriage does not mean that another miscarriage will happen, and many people later have a healthy pregnancy. One loss can be emotionally painful and medically confusing, but it is not usually a sign that you cannot carry a pregnancy. Your personal outlook depends on factors such as your medical history, age, previous pregnancies, and the findings from this pregnancy.

A missed miscarriage happens when a pregnancy has stopped developing but the body has not yet passed the pregnancy tissue. Some people have few or no symptoms, so an ultrasound may identify the loss. In many early miscarriages, the cause is a chance genetic problem in the pregnancy that could not have been prevented by routine activity, sex, work, or everyday stress. A clinician may review your history to see whether any additional assessment is appropriate, particularly if losses recur.

Arrange follow-up with your gynaecologist or pregnancy-care team so the diagnosis, treatment choice, and recovery plan are clear. Management may involve waiting for the tissue to pass, medication, or a procedure; the suitable option depends on your symptoms, scan findings, health, and preferences. Ask when bleeding and pain should improve, how to check that the miscarriage is complete, and when you can try to conceive again. Emotional support or bereavement counselling can also help after a pregnancy loss.

Seek urgent medical care for heavy or rapidly increasing bleeding, severe or worsening abdominal pain, fainting, marked dizziness, fever, chills, or foul-smelling vaginal discharge. These symptoms can indicate significant blood loss or infection and need prompt assessment. Contact your care team if pain or bleeding continues beyond the timeframe they gave you, or if you feel physically unwell after treatment.

You could ask: What might have contributed to this loss? Do I need any follow-up scan or tests? Which management option fits my situation? What symptoms should prompt urgent help? When is it medically and emotionally reasonable to try for pregnancy again? Would a review be useful if I have another loss?