Miscarriage is an unfortunate event and refers to the loss of a pregnancy before the 20th week. More than 10% of pregnancies end in miscarriage for many different reasons. Sometimes, the miscarriage occurs so early in the pregnancy that a woman doesn't even know about it. It becomes even distressing when a miscarriage results in an infection. Over 3% of women develop an infection when they experience a miscarriage during their first trimester. It is possible to treat miscarriage after effects, but it still puts you in a better position to select a right treatment option if you know signs of infection after miscarriage.

Signs of Infection After Miscarriage

You may notice several after effects of a miscarriage.

You are more likely to develop an infection if tissue from the pregnancy is still inside your womb. This usually causes serious bleeding.

A closer pelvic exam will show pieces of tissue coming out of your cervix, which is another sign of an infection.

An infection may have already developed if you're noticing a bad smell coming from your vagina.

Fever is another sign of infection after miscarriage.

You may also experience pain in your belly if you're infected.

What to Do

It is important to look for a treatment when you feel you may have developed an infection. You need to bear in mind that post-miscarriage infections can sometimes be life threatening if not treated in a timely manner. You will be better off letting your doctor know about your condition and recommend a treatment option.

Your doctor may ask for an ultrasound to confirm if any of the pregnancy is still there in your uterus or not. After these tests, they will prescribe antibiotics to clear the infection. You may sometimes require an operation in order to remove the remaining pregnancy.

How to Prevent Infection After Miscarriage

Your doctor will recommend some medications to help clear your infection, but until the bleeding stops, you can try a number of ways to manage your condition better. For starters, you should avoid using tampons and stick to sanitary pads instead – you can use tampons again on your next period. Similarly, you should avoid taking baths and go for showers instead. Avoid swimming and sexual intercourse until you have recovered completely. Along with taking these precautions, you should keep using the prescribed antibiotics as directed.

Considerations After Miscarriage

A miscarriage is a dreadful experience for women, and it is obvious to see them have all sorts of questions after the infection has cleared. Many women are often worried about conceiving again because they think they will experience the same situation again. Some even decide not to become pregnant again. It is important to discuss your thoughts with your caregiver to make a right call.

1. Having Another Miscarriage

It is common to ask if you are going to have another miscarriage after the first one. It usually depends on your unique circumstances. If this is the first time you have experienced a miscarriage and have other normal pregnancies before this unfortunate event, the chances are your subsequent pregnancies will be normal and healthy. You may need to worry about your condition if you have a couple of miscarriages in a row, especially without any normal pregnancies before your miscarriages. You need to work with your doctor to determine the underlying cause of your recurrent miscarriage.

2. Continuing with Sexual Intercourse

It is yet another common concern for women after they notice signs of infection after miscarriage. The common sense says you should let your bleeding stop completely before you have sex again. It usually means to wait between one and three weeks – it may take longer depending on the complications involved in miscarriage. Continuing with sexual intercourse won't give your body enough time to heal. You should also consider how you feel about having sex again after losing a baby. Sometimes, you may want to conceive again and want to have sex with your partner as soon as possible – you can become pregnant once again at least after a week of your miscarriage. Whatever the case, be sure to discuss it all with your partner and share your thoughts with your doctor to ensure if it is safe to have sex again.

3. Becoming Pregnant Again

It is worth mentioning that there is no evidence that taking a break before you decide to conceive again will prevent future miscarriage. It means that if you're feeling fine, you can definitely have sex again and hope to become pregnant. Some caregivers may suggest not to conceive until a month after your miscarriage, especially if you have lost a substantial amount of blood. It is also a good idea to delay your attempts to conceive if you have high blood pressure or diabetes. It is usually quite tempting to start attempting to conceive again to recover your loss, but it is always a good idea to discuss it with your caregiver and ensure that you're feeling healthy enough to complete your pregnancy without a hitch.

It is important to point out though that your fertility will return usually within 1-6 weeks after your miscarriage, so it is fine to try to conceive again. In case you're not feeling well, you may decide not to conceive again for some time. You should discuss it with your caregiver who may guide you about appropriate contraception.