How to calculate ovulation/period after missed miscarriage

I had a D&C, my period came around four weeks after. I then tracked from that and before it I had four weeks of weird hormonal changes etc.

It can take up to 6 weeks for your period to come back after surgical management. I'm so sorry you have been through that twice. When I had mine, I was told to wait 3 months before trying again. This is so you will know exact dates of your period when you try again and also to allow time for your body to recover. You want the environment for your baby to be the best it can be and that takes time xx

Im sorry for your loss. I tracked my cycle as soon as my bleeding stopped (BBT and OPKs), after surgery for my MMC at 12 weeks. I did count CD1 as the day of my surgery, just to give me a starting point. I ovulated 2 weeks after my bleeding stopped (like I would with a normal period), and was lucky to fall pregnant again before my first true post loss period. I was given totally different advice to the poster above. I was told to wait a cycle, but when I asked the gynaecologist she said that any waiting is only to help with dating a future pregnancy. And that it had absolutely nothing to do with your uterus being given time to recover or heal/the lining to thicken etc, that there was no increase risk of another loss if I did fall pregnant immediately. I imagine it will depend on the details of a loss, and your own health possibly though? I know if there’s evidence of a molar pregnancy for example then the advice is to wait longer.

Thats crazy how we can experience such similar things but be given such different advice! I found the Tommy's midwifes a really helpful and reassuring place to start, maybe give them a ring? They are lovely and make you feel completely validated xx

I don’t know whether they will count the first day of bleeding as first day of cycle but what I’ve done with unpredictable cycle length is track ovulation carefully and book my progesterone blood test exactly 7 days after ovulation. So you could always do that because you may ovulate soon or not for months. I’m so glad you’ve been referred after two miscarriages. Mine made me wait until three, which is ridiculous. Having said that, they usually test on day 21 only to confirm ovulation. You’re clearly ovulating, so I doubt they will test then - whether you have high enough progesterone levels to support a pregnancy unfortunately has little to do with whether levels are high enough to make you ovulate. I’ve just been told I can go on progesterone immediately if I get a positive test (despite my levels being high on day 21).

@Nerida ah I see. Thank you for sharing. Do you use anything specifically to track ovulation? I’ve used my period app, which is probably not the best way. Ah ok, I’ll try that then. I think they were going to try 21 day test before I got pregnant (due to trying for 6 months since last), but I have now conceived twice in a year. I’ve had two emergency D&C’s. Thankfully the hospital put me forward. Got another month to wait to see my GP. I’m hoping they accept me. Did you have to wait long to hear from the miscarriage team? Yeah next time I’m gonna to go straight for progesterone.

@Chloe thanks Chloe that’s so helpful. Sorry you’ve had to go through this too, but congratulations on conceiving again so soon!! That’s so encouraging.

Thanks @Polly I was thinking to give Tommy a call next week. It really can be a minefield/mystery to work through.

General advice I've seen is to count the day of D&C as CD (cycle day) 1 and then just track as you normally do, so LH tests, bbt, cm. Cycles can be messed up after an MC so don't count on it being the same as normal.

I use Clearblue digital ovulation tests. They’re super expensive but really reliable in showing you your whole fertile window and not just the lh peak. If you just need a general indication of ovulation, any cheap ovulation tests will do. I’ve been told the waitlist for my local recurrent miscarriage clinic is 2 months at the moment. I saw them after two miscarriages and the experience was a complete joke - they talked to me about smoking (which I don’t), caffeine (which I restrict) and drinking (which i don’t) and the gyne actually wrote in her follow-up letter that she didn’t know why my referral had been accepted as their criteria is 3 miscarriages. It felt so insulting for her to imply that I could have prevented my miscarriages through lifestyle factors. I’m waiting to get a negative pregnancy test since my 3rd miscarriage and they will refer me to them again and hopefully they will take me seriously this time. Really hope your experience is smooth and supportive!