Current World Health Organization guidelines recommend that women who have miscarried wait more than six months before conceiving again. However, the BMJ study found that women who conceived sooner than the current WHO guidelines were less likely to have another miscarriage, termination or ectopic pregnancy. The researchers examined the results of nearly 31,000 Scottish women who were pregnant between 1981 and 2000 and had reported a miscarriage in their first pregnancies. Women who conceived within six months of their miscarriage and went on to have a live birth were less likely than women who waited 6–12 months before conceiving again to have a C-section, preterm delivery or a baby with low birth weight. However, women in this group were more likely to have an induced labour.

“Our research shows that it is unnecessary for women to delay conception after a miscarriage,” the researchers concluded. “As such, the current WHO guidelines may need to be reconsidered.”

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Author: Sara Randall

Profession: Osteopath and Midwife Perfect Balance Clinic