Miscarriage after IVF is only slightly higher than with a normally conceived pregnancy, with most caused by chromosomal abnormalities. Emotional impact can be greater due to the difficulty and expense of IVF, and therapy is advised before attempting another pregnancy.
In most cases, the miscarriage after in vitro fertilization (IVF) is only slightly higher than with a normally conceived pregnancy. Many times, the added risk comes from physical abnormalities in the mother that led to infertility to begin with. These can usually be fixed or relieved, although they can sometimes lead to miscarriage, depending on the problem. For the most part, miscarriage after IVF is around 10-20% experienced by any other pregnant woman.
The cause of miscarriage after IVF is likely very similar to any other pregnancy loss. Most miscarriages are thought to be due to chromosomal abnormalities in the developing baby, some of which are caused by external forces such as uterine malfunction, placental abnormalities, or hormonal problems in the mother. Occasionally, a miscarriage will occur due to something the mother consumes.
One of the major differences between normal pregnancy loss and a miscarriage after IVF is that it is more difficult for many mothers to emotionally lose a pregnancy after years of infertility. IVF treatments are usually reserved as a last resort, after all other methods of achieving a pregnancy have failed, because they are very expensive and carry a higher risk of multiples and pregnancy complications. Success is less than 50 percent, so losing a pregnancy that does occur can be a devastating loss.
The loss caused by a miscarriage after IVF can be doubly devastating if the couple cannot afford additional treatments or if no further treatments are advised. Sometimes, if the mother’s body is responsible for one or more recurring losses, she may begin to blame herself and feel a sense of worthlessness for not being able to carry a baby to term. This isn’t true, of course, but the inability to get pregnant can have a huge impact on a woman’s self-esteem.
Therapy is advised for many who experience a miscarriage after IVF before attempting another pregnancy. While no professional advice is provided, any mother who has had a miscarriage should wait until she is emotionally ready to try for another baby. Miscarriages are a loss and should be grieved like everyone else.
In most cases, miscarriage after IVF has no impact on future pregnancies unless a specific abnormality in the mother’s hormones or anatomy is discovered. There is often no increased risk of pregnancy loss until two or more consecutive losses have occurred. If this happens, genetic testing and counseling may be advised.
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