Pregnancy after miscarriage: resources to help you through

Pregnancy after a previous miscarriage, ectopic or molar pregnancy* can be really tough. Many people experience challenging mixed emotions including guilt, fear, anxiety, worry, hope and relief. These feelings, and many more, are very normal.

* Please note that we often use the term ‘pregnancy loss’ to include miscarriage, ectopic and molar pregnancy. But sometimes, using the word ‘miscarriage’ for all three makes it easier for people to find the information they’re looking for when using a search engine.

We have published new resources to help support those experiencing a pregnancy after loss.

Many people assume that anxiety during pregnancy is exclusive to the first twelve weeks. However, our research shows that this is just not the case. Anxiety during pregnancy after loss can last throughout the entire pregnancy, and sometimes beyond.

A survey of 1,300 women who became pregnant after a loss found that:

• 59% felt ‘scared’ when they found out about the new pregnancy
• 38% reported feeling ‘terrified’ of going for scans or appointments
• 41% said they were still ‘scared’ or ‘anxious’ when they reached their second trimester (over 13 weeks’ pregnant)
• Even in the third trimester, 25% reported still feeling anxious, with many saying they now feared the birth would go wrong

The Miscarriage Association’s pregnancy after loss materials talk through coping with the first, second and third trimesters, to help you find the support you need for the stage you are at. Some of the resources focus on scans, so you can find out a little more about what to expect. We have also provided helpful resources for partners who may be finding the experience stressful.

We have added more stories which include experiences of pregnancy after loss, and the wide array of emotions this can bring with it. Emma found scans incredibly triggering throughout her pregnancy and would feel incredibly anxious in the run up, she comments:

Scans were, kind of, a grim necessity, rather than a happy occasion… I was fully 100% expecting bad news, every time I went… It is the toughest thing I’ve ever been through.

There is also a page dedicated to how to support someone who is pregnant after a loss, as it can be hard for others to know what to say or do. This might be helpful to share with friends, family, colleagues and managers, so they can understand more about what you’re experiencing and help you feel supported.

To help you find support from others at a similar stage to you, we have launched private Facebook groups for those who are 0-13 weeks pregnant after loss and those who are 14+ weeks pregnant.

Our helpline is also here for you if you would like to talk things through with us over the phone, email or live chat.

You don’t have to go through this alone.