Pregnancy loss aftercare and advice
Information for women who have had a pregnancy loss, and their families
We are sorry for your pregnancy loss.
This leaflet will help you understand what can happen following your pregnancy loss. It explains the importance of looking after yourself both emotionally and physically. It also gives advice on what will happen next, depending on what type of pregnancy loss you have had.
If you have any questions or concerns, please speak to a member of staff in the Early Pregnancy Assessment Unit (EPAU).
How can counselling help me?
Following a pregnancy loss there is no right way for you to feel emotionally. You may find your emotions are heightened following your loss. This is to be expected due to grieving the loss itself and needing time to process what has happened. The emotions you are feeling will also be heavily affected by the sudden dropping of your hormone levels. This may cause sudden tearfulness, and spells of headaches and fatigue (extreme tiredness).
For information on counselling, please ask a member of staff for a copy of the Women’s Health Counselling Service leaflet. If you feel you may benefit from counselling, please email the Women's Health Counsellors.
Looking after yourself following a pregnancy loss is as important as any medical care you receive. Make sure you eat and drink well, and that you rest, but still remain active. Moving around will help prevent complications, such as a blood clot.
General advice for women following a miscarriage
Please read and follow this advice if you have had a miscarriage.
You can expect bleeding from your vagina to last for up to 2 weeks following a miscarriage. This should ease over time, with less clotting. If bleeding continues for longer than 2 weeks, please contact the EPAU.
There should be no abnormal smell. If your discharge does smell abnormal, please contact the EPAU as you may have an infection.
Use sanitary towels while you are bleeding, to lessen your chance of developing an infection. You can use tampons when you have another period.
You may feel pain for a few days after your miscarriage. This is normally a period type cramping, which should get better over time. Please take paracetamol or ibuprofen to help with pain relief. If you still have pain and / or bleeding 2 weeks after your miscarriage, contact the EPAU for advice. The EPAU contact details are at the end of this leaflet.
If you feel unwell, like you have an infection, please contact the EPAU.
Around 3 weeks after your miscarriage we will ask you to carry out a urine pregnancy test. If this test is positive, please contact the EPAU for advice. This is to make sure all the pregnancy tissue has gone.
Advice for women following a molar pregnancy
A molar pregnancy is when there is a problem with a fertilised egg. This means a baby and a placenta do not develop the way they should after conception.
Histology testing will confirm a suspected molar pregnancy. Histology testing is the study of microscopic pieces of tissue. Results should be available approximately 6 weeks after we send the sample to the laboratory. If it is confirmed as a molar pregnancy we will contact you.
Until your results are available, follow the General advice for women following a miscarriage above. If you have very heavy vaginal bleeding during this time, please:
contact the EPAU; or
go to your nearest Emergency Department immediately.
Advice for women following a miscarriage where genetic testing is involved
If you have had 3 or more miscarriages we will offer you genetic testing. Genetic testing will try and find out why this keeps happening to you. It is a woman’s choice whether to have these tests, we will not proceed without your consent. The EPAU nurse will discuss with you why this testing is important.
If you agree, we send your sample to Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital in London for testing. Please note that this sample is not returned to us. We recommend you wait for your test results to arrive before trying to get pregnant again. The test results can take a few months.
If needed, we can also refer you to our Recurrent Miscarriage Clinic for further investigations. Please ask the EPAU nurses for more information.
If you fall pregnant again in the future, at around 7 weeks have an early scan with the EPAU to assess your pregnancy. You can book this scan yourself, using the contact details at the end of this leaflet.
Advice for women following conservative or medical management of an ectopic pregnancy
Following Methotrexate (medication) management for an ectopic pregnancy, or conservative management, it is not unusual to have:
some pain intermittently; and
vaginal bleeding as the pregnancy resolves.
If you have a sudden increase in pain or more constant pain, contact the EPAU for advice. Only go to the Emergency Department if:
your pain is not controlled with normal painkillers (such as paracetamol or ibuprofen); or
it is causing you to lose consciousness.
Continue going to your follow-up appointments with the EPAU clinic until they discharge you.
Your first period following an ectopic may be delayed. However, you will hopefully return to a regular cycle by your second period.
Use contraception following an ectopic pregnancy. Do not try to get pregnant again for another 3 months. If you do become pregnant again, book an early scan at around 6 weeks with your closest EPAU clinic.
Advice for women following surgery for an ectopic pregnancy
In the first few weeks following your surgery for an ectopic pregnancy, you must rest. However, you must also make sure you move around to prevent problems, such as developing a blood clot.
Do not do any heavy lifting, exercise, have sex, or drive for at least 2 weeks after your surgery, or until you feel well enough.
It is normal to have vaginal bleeding following surgery. However, if you have large blood clots or the blood smells bad, contact the EPAU for advice.
Wound care is important. You can get your wounds wet, but do not soak in the bath. Keep your wounds uncovered at all times. Report any concerns regarding possible infection to your closest EPAU. Symptoms of an infection include:
redness around the wound;
the wound leaking; or
a high temperature.
The stitches should dissolve (disappear on their own) 10 to 14 days after your surgery.
Your first period following an ectopic pregnancy may be delayed. Hopefully you will return to a regular cycle.
Use contraception following an ectopic pregnancy. Do not try to get pregnant again for another 3 months. If you do become pregnant again, book an early scan at around 6 weeks with your closest EPAU clinic.
What should I do if I feel unwell at home?
You may feel unwell following your treatment for pregnancy loss. If so, please contact the EPAU or Gynaecological Assessment Unit (GAU) for advice about what to do.
EPAU, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother (QEQM) Hospital, Margate
Telephone: 01843 234469GAU, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother (QEQM) Hospital, Margate
Telephone: 01843 235009Women’s Health Suite, William Harvey Hospital, Ashford
Telephone: 01233 651987
Further information
[Web sites last accessed 24 April 2026]
We have used the term ‘women’ and 'woman' throughout this leaflet. When we use these terms we also mean people with female reproductive organs who do not identify as a woman. East Kent Hospitals is committed to supporting people of all gender identities. Please tell your nurse or doctor how you would like them to address you, so we can be sure to get this right.