A common question couples have after a first-trimester miscarriage is when it's possible to get pregnant again. The answer varies by the person and situation.
Ovulation is the determining factor on when it is theoretically possible to get pregnant again after a miscarriage. Some women resume ovulating on a normal schedule right away following a miscarriage, especially if it was a chemical pregnancy or other early miscarriage, so it is theoretically possible for these women to conceive again a mere two weeks after the miscarriage. (Ovulation usually happens about two weeks into a 28-day menstrual cycle.)
But not everyone goes right back into a normal menstrual cycle without delay. Sometimes it can take two to three months for ovulation to return, especially with later pregnancy losses, and in these cases it is obviously not possible to conceive again for a longer time. And there's a huge amount of variation among individuals, and no hard and fast rules apply. Some women might take two months or longer to resume ovulation after an early miscarriage, and some women who have full-term pregnancy losses may go back to having normal cycles the month after the loss.
For this reason, couples who do not wish to be pregnant again right away should always use contraception until they are comfortable with the possibility of a new pregnancy.
There is also the question of when it is medically advisable to conceive again, which for some couples is a completely different matter from when it is possible to be pregnant again. If your doctor has advised you to wait before trying for a new pregnancy, you should use some type of contraception until you are ready to try again.
Source:
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, "Early Pregnancy Loss: Miscarriage and Molar Pregnancy." May 2002. Accessed 18 Nov 2008.
