Waiting to Conceive After Miscarriage: The Long and Short of It

Women with histories of pregnancy loss before 24 weeks' gestation have excess risk for subsequent pregnancy loss. The optimal waiting period before conceiving after miscarriage is unknown. Current World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations, based on a single, large Latin American study, call for women to wait at least 6 months before conceiving after a miscarriage or abortion. Investigators conducted a retrospective review of miscarriages in Scotland during a 20-year period with the goal of documenting interpregnancy intervals and pregnancy outcomes.

Of 30,937 women with a first miscarriage between 1981 and 2000 and a second qualifying pregnancy during the study period, 41% conceived within 6 months of the miscarriage, 25% after 6–12 mo…