When you’ve experienced recurrent pregnancy loss, trying again can feel like setting yourself up for heartbreak.
While unexplainable miscarriage is a far more common outcome for pregnancy than most realize, multiple miscarriages usually have a root cause that can be overcome with the help of an experienced provider.
Our team of reproductive specialists at University Reproductive Associates helps women who have experienced recurrent pregnancy loss find out why they weren’t able to carry previous pregnancies to term and how to get pregnant successfully and finally have the baby they have wished for.
Recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) refers to three or more miscarriages that happen within the first 20 weeks after their last menstrual period. Repeated miscarriages at this stage typically mean that you’re experiencing a medical problem that is affecting your ability to stay pregnant after conceiving.
The best thing you can do is to find a fertility specialist who will care for both your physical and mental health as you figure out what comes next.
At University Reproductive Associates, we help you keep all of your options open as we work to diagnose your fertility issues and assist you with future pregnancies or family planning.
You may find out that the issues you are dealing with will make it challenging or even impossible to carry a healthy pregnancy to term and decide to pursue other forms of family planning.
Alternatively, you might discover that the issues affecting your fertility are treatable and that you will be able to conceive, carry, and birth a baby after the issue is treated.
There are many potential causes of RPL. You might have genetic factors you don’t even know about interfering with your ability to retain a pregnancy. Certain immunological conditions or antibody syndromes can also cause repeated miscarriages by interfering with your body’s ability to maintain a healthy placenta.
Environmental and lifestyle factors can also play a part. Smoking, drinking, working a job where you have to lift heavy things or stand on your feet for long periods, and drug use can also cause spontaneous miscarriages.
If you have untreated diabetes or an undiagnosed thyroid condition, you’re also at higher risk for RPL.
Repeated miscarriages can take a toll on your physical, mental, and emotional health, as well as your relationships. It’s important that you and your partner know that it is not your fault that a miscarriage happened and to avoid assigning or taking blame.
You might feel pressured to try again right away. However, after several miscarriages, it’s better to take a break and consult a specialist to see if you can overcome whatever is causing your pregnancy losses. The repeated loss and grief may leave you feeling hopeless.
Many causes of RPL are treatable. If initial testing doesn’t show a clear reason for your multiple miscarriages, we may recommend genetic counseling. If you have a condition that is keeping you from carrying to term, we can often treat you with medication or perform surgery to help you get and stay pregnant.
We offer IVF for women who have fertility challenges and can also help you with alternative family planning services if you have little or no chance of a viable pregnancy. We also want to ensure that if you choose to conceive and are successful, you have a support network to help you if you feel overwhelmed.
Almost 50% of women who experience miscarriages are at increased risk of postnatal depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, so we might recommend therapy to help you ensure you’re in a healthy state of mind when your longed-for baby arrives, whether you carry it yourself or have help from a surrogate.
Get the fertility answers you need by calling the URA location closest to you or requesting an appointment online.
