There is no greater heartbreak than suffering from a miscarriage. Women are left feeling devastated dealing with the loss of pregnancy. The causes of miscarriage are often out of your control. However, you can maximize the chances of having a successful pregnancy by taking charge of your health.

Tips to Prevent a Possible Miscarriage

1. Get Screened for STDs

Ask your doctor for a thorough screening before you conceive. Get yourself screened for sexually transmitted diseases or STDs as well. Some STDs such as gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV and herpes increase the risk of miscarriage when left untreated. They can also cause severe harm to your baby.

2. Check Your Vaccination Record

Find and go through all the vaccination records of yourself. Incase you find or suspect that you may have missed out on any tell your doctor. Certain diseases can increase your risk of miscarriage. Talk to your doctor and get tested for immunity. In case you are looking to immunize yourself, the best time to do it is before you try to become pregnant.

3. Be careful what you eat

Certain foods like unpasteurized dairy products and under cooked or raw meats should be avoided during pregnancy. Soft cheeses such as brie and Camembert should also be given a miss. These kinds of foods might end up giving you infections that can up your risk of having a miscarriage. These may include rare infections such as toxoplasmosis and listeria.

4. Exercise Moderately

When you are pregnant it is a good idea to exercise regularly to keep your body healthy. However, heavy excerising has been considered by doctors to be one of the causes of pregnancies ending in miscarriage. Excessive exercising can lead to elevated body temperature which can result in the reduced flow of blood to the fetus.

5. Avoid adventure sports

High energy and fast sports such as horse riding, skiing, biking, and snowboarding should be avoided during pregnancy. The reason for this is very simple. In such high intensity activities there are chances of you losing balance. It may also result in injury to your abdominal region. In a pregnancy such an injury can lead to a possible miscarriage.

6. Reduce Physically Exposing yourself to toxins

Clean up your environment both at home and work. Remove any possible toxic materials that is likely to adversely effect your fertility or your pregnancy. Talk to your doctor and find out the things that are likely to be toxic for your growing baby. There are many synthetic chemicals to which pregnant women become exposed. These have tremendous effect on the growing fetus and may even lead to a miscarriage.

7. Maintain a healthy body weight

Being overweight or underweight can be fatal for your pregnancy. Obesity is one of the leading causes of complications during pregnancy including miscarriage. Women who are underweight when they are pregnant also find it difficult to have a full term pregnancy. Ask your doctor to advise your ideal Body Mass Index and work towards achieving that before you try to become pregnant. This will help you prevent a miscarriage.

8. Relax

Chronic stress increases cortisol, which is a stress-response hormone. Elevated cortisol is associated with insulin resistance and increased abdominal fat. Increased abdominal fat results in obesity which one of the known risk factors of miscarriage. Speak to your doctor and get help managing chronic stress. You can enroll in support groups or counselling if you think they will help. Otherwise you can try meditation, yoga, and pregnancy friendly massages.

9. Avoid tobacco, alcohol and illegal drugs

Many women do not understand that substances such tobacco, alcohol, and drugs can cause miscarriage. This is in addition to the harmful effects it has on the fetus. Not only these, but also limit your caffeine intake when you are pregnant. Many doctors suggest that pregnant women should have no more than two cups a day of coffee. Although the studies have yielded mixed results it is better to limit your intake to help improve your chances of having a healthy pregnancy.

10. Talk to your doctor

Chronic ailments such as thyroid, epilepsy, and lupus can increase your risk of miscarriage. In many cases however, women with chronic conditions have been seen to have given birth to healthy babies. However, speak to your doctor about ongoing medication and whether they can cause miscarriage. He or she might suggest alternate medication that can improve your chances with having a healthy and full term pregnancy.

11. Stay Positive

Don’t lose hope. Remember that most women who miscarry go on to have one or more successful pregnancies. Get emotional support from your partner, friends, and family to help you cope with the loss and stress of a miscarriage. Take ample rest and then try for another pregnancy when you feel ready mentally and physically.

There are also natural and herbal ways to prevent miscarriage. You can follow these to allow your body to be healthy and baby friendly. Make your body healthy and strong before you start to conceive. This way you will be in a better position to prevent a possible miscarriage. However, remember, the most important thing is to consult your doctor before you take any steps. Your doctor is the one who is best equipped to deal with your specific situation as he or she is aware of your medical history.

Don’t feel negative and give up trying. Involve your partner in your journey as he too has felt the loss. Remember that there is still a chance.