Another pregnancy

Having been through a painful loss due to fetal anomaly, some women find the thought of becoming pregnant again quite frightening. Some women can be certain that they don’t want another baby. Others feel a desperate need to try to conceive as soon as possible.

There is no ‘right’ amount of time to wait before trying to conceive again. Healthcare professionals recommend that women give themselves some time to recover physically and have at least one period before trying again. Some women feel they need to give themselves some emotional recovery time and wait until they have passed the original due date for the baby they lost.

It is a personal decision and individual women will decide what feels right in their circumstances. Some women may face the added stress of being aware that their age does not allow them to wait too long. Others may have the challenging prospect of undergoing fertility treatment if they wish to conceive.

Whatever your situation, when you do confirm a pregnancy there can be a mix of emotions, ranging from joy and relief to renewed sadness about the baby you lost and fears about the health of this baby.

You will have to decide where to have your next baby. You may find it too distressing to go back to the same hospital in which case you can book your care somewhere else. Some parents choose to return to their original hospital because the staff there know their history and will be extra sensitive to their needs.

You might want to plan in advance what kind of antenatal tests you would like to have in this pregnancy. Some women choose to have the same tests as the last pregnancy or more. Others decide they want fewer tests this time round. You know best what might help you manage your anxieties in this pregnancy so do talk this over with your consultant and midwife.

Even when the tests show that this baby is not affected in the same way as before, most parents remain anxious until after their baby is born. The strains of a subsequent pregnancy can be great and talking about your fears to someone who will listen may be helpful. And although there will be great joy when your baby arrives safely there can also be some conflicted emotions about the baby you lost.

Please feel able to keep in touch with us by phone or email as much as you need.