How long after a miscarriage can you have sex?
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Miscarriage is the loss of a baby before the 24th week of pregnancy, and is sadly very common.
It can take some time to recover, physically and emotionally.
There are a few things you should think about before getting your sex life back on track.
What is a miscarriage?
A miscarriage is the loss of a pregnancy during the first 23 weeks1. It usually occurs because the baby isn’t developing as expected.
Miscarriages are very sadly relatively common. It is thought that around 1 in 8 pregnancies will end in a miscarriage1. Most miscarriages happen in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy2. This is called an early miscarriage.
Miscarriages very rarely happen because of something you did or didn’t do. The most common cause of early miscarriages  is problems with the way the baby is developing. This happens by chance and it is not your fault.
How long should you rest after miscarriage?
After a miscarriage, you need to allow your body to recover physically. Miscarriage can also have a significant emotional effect on you.
Recovery is different for everyone. It may take you a few days to feel back to normal, or it might take a few weeks.
Most women will get a period somewhere between four and six weeks after their miscarriage, and it may be heavier and longer than usual to begin with. It might take a few months for your menstrual cycle to get back to a regular pattern3.
Lots of things can have an impact on your recovery. If you have a lot of bleeding, you may feel particularly tired or run down. If you are worried that it is taking you a long time to recover physically, it might be worth talking to your GP. Some simple blood tests can usually reassure you.
Can sex cause miscarriage?
The good news is, it is safe to have sex for the entire nine months of a typical pregnancy. It’s also entirely safe to have an orgasm. Having concerns about sex causing miscarriage is very common, especially in the first trimester.
There is no need to worry. Your developing baby is very well protected. They are inside a protective sac of fluid (the amniotic sac), and the muscles of your womb are strong. There is also a plug of mucous in the opening of the womb (the cervix). This is designed to protect the opening of your cervix.
There are a few unusual circumstances in which your medical team might suggest you avoid sex. These are4;
- If your waters have broken
- There are any abnormalities to the neck of your womb (your cervix)
- You have had previous early labours (and are in the later stages of pregnancy).
- You have a very low lying placenta.
It is important to remember that you can still get sexually transmitted infections (STI’s) in pregnancy. If you or your partner are having sex with other people, you should use a condom.
If you are not sure about this and have questions then please discuss this with your doctor or midwife.
How long after a miscarriage can you have sex?
Sex might be far from your mind after a miscarriage. But as you start to recover, you’ll probably wonder when it’s okay to have sex again and perhaps try to conceive.
The general advice is that once you have stopped bleeding and feel physically ready (usually about two weeks after miscarriage), you can be given the green-light. However, this depends on your personal circumstances and what happened in the miscarriage.
Remember that even if you are physically ready, you may not feel emotionally ready to have sex again. Don’t rush into sex if you don’t feel ready.
During a miscarriage, your cervix has to open to clear the uterus. Depending on how your miscarriage was managed, bleeding might last only a few days, or might go on for a number of weeks.
When the cervix is more open, the womb is more prone to infection. For this reason, it is generally advised to wait until the bleeding has settled before you start having sex again. Your cervix will close again when the bleeding has stopped.
If the bleeding does not settle as expected, then you should discuss this with your doctor. It is important to make sure that your womb is fully empty and the miscarriage is ‘complete’. If it is not, there is an increased risk of infection.
Remember that if you do have sex after miscarriage and you do not want to conceive again, then you need to use contraception5. Contraception should be used from day 5 after a miscarriage. This is because it is possible to get pregnant again at this point5. Most forms of contraception are safe to use5. Your choice depends on your personal circumstances and medical history, so do discuss this with your doctor or use our recommender tool to get started.
High sex drive after miscarriage?
Some women can notice that their libido changes after a miscarriage. It’s common to suffer grief or low mood, which can lower their libido.
Some women also find that their libido is higher after a miscarriage. This could be due to hormonal shifts after pregnancy. If you are very focused on conceiving again then this may increase your sex drive.
For some couples, a pregnancy loss may create close connections as you go through this difficult experience together. This might also increase your sex drive.
Bleeding after sex after a miscarriage
After a miscarriage, your vaginal tissues may take some time to recover. Hormonal changes that have happened in pregnancy might also cause some vaginal dryness. The neck of your womb may be quite sensitive. This can make sex feel uncomfortable or cause some bleeding.
These changes won’t last forever. Even if you do have some bleeding after sex the first time after a miscarriage, this should settle. If it does not, then you should discuss this with your doctor6.
Remember that a miscarriage can have a significant physical and mental impact on you. However, there is no reason that you won’t recover fully, and in a relatively short period of time. If you have concerns about your recovery, you should discuss this with your doctor.
When your sex life gets back on track, bleeding should settle.
Dr Gemma Dovey
Medical Copywriter
Dr Gemma Dovey is a GP with a passion for women's health with experience of these issues herself as a patient. She loves communicating complex medical issues in a way that patients understand. She also have experience in writing and editing medical information, both for patients and for doctors.
Our medical review process
This article has been medically reviewed for factual and up to date information by a Lowdown doctor.
