There is no doubt there is some trepidation and hesitation when it comes to thinking about getting pregnant after experiencing a stillbirth. There is still sadness and trauma that may understandably linger, in which case, you need to know when you are ready before even trying. But, the short answer is yes, you can get pregnant after having a stillbirth. There are some things that you will need to understand first before actively trying to conceive.
What do you need to do?
One of the first things that you need to determine is: are you REALLY ready? Some women see another pregnancy as a balm to the pain and trauma that they experienced with their loss. But also, some women may feel the complete opposite. There is absolutely no wrong or right answer to this question. It is about what you and your partner feel about it, and what you feel comfortable with. If you feel that you are ready, mentally and emotionally, there are still some other things to consider.
When you feel you are ready, you must get a thorough check up and consultation with your obstetrician / gynecologist. They will do an examination of you internally and make sure that you are ready to physically take on this pregnancy. You must also try and figure out what caused the previous stillbirth or pregnancy loss. This is so help also ensure that during your next pregnancy, whatever the causes that are there may either be avoided or treated.
Time and timing is a factor
The amount of time between pregnancies is also a factor. Most doctors recommend that a woman should wait around 18 months before getting pregnant again, just to let the body heal and enable them to adjust. If this pregnancy sadly ended in a loss, a woman’s body still goes through some if not all the post pregnancy results. Your body will need to heal before you try again.
There is also your age to consider. Most women over the age of 35 may have a bit more trouble getting pregnant with or without a stillbirth to consider. But generally most women who are healthy, are not smokers and do not consume huge amounts of alcohol, will be ok. If you have any of these habits and are planning to conceive, it would give you a better chance if you can quit them now, as it will also help your body be ready for a healthy conception.
What can you do to promote pregnancy after stillbirth?
Folic acid as a supplement helps with getting your body prepared for a baby and pregnancy. Talk to your doctor about taking this in preparation for pregnancy. This supplement helps your body produce the hormones and environment that is favorable to conceiving and help prepare your body for a healthy pregnancy.
Keep up healthy habits such as eating healthy and maintaining an exercise routine. Keeping yourself healthy is always good, but more so if you are planning to get pregnant. Exercising and maintaining a healthy diet will help your body prepare and be stronger for another pregnancy.
So if you are ready to try for another baby after your pregnancy loss, just make sure that you take extra care of yourself and your body. There are a lot of ways you can make sure this pregnancy is a successful one, but make sure you are not overdoing it as well as pressure may cause unnecessary stress to the situation. So just try to relax, enjoy the journey, and stay healthy.
Good luck, mummy!
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