October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month. For those who have experienced miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, stillbirth, or the death of an infant, it is an opportunity to acknowledge losses that are too often left unspoken.

Throughout my years as a fertility acupuncturist, I have worked with women at almost every stage of the reproductive journey. Some have been preparing for their first pregnancy, others have been navigating IVF, and many have come to me after losing a pregnancy they had hoped and worked so hard to achieve.

There are important medical questions following pregnancy loss, especially when someone wants to conceive again. There is also grief, which can influence relationships, sleep, confidence, and the experience of a future pregnancy. I believe both deserve our attention.

Understanding Why Pregnancy Loss Happens

One of the first questions women ask after a miscarriage is why it happened. Often, they begin reviewing everything they did during the pregnancy, wondering whether they exercised too much, worked too hard, ate something they shouldn't have, or allowed themselves to become too stressed.

Many early miscarriages occur because of chromosomal abnormalities that arise as the embryo develops. These events are generally beyond a woman's control. Ordinary activities such as exercise, work, and everyday stress are not established causes of miscarriage.

There are also medical conditions that may contribute to pregnancy loss, including certain uterine abnormalities, thyroid disorders, poorly controlled diabetes, and antiphospholipid syndrome. Some of these conditions are treatable, which makes appropriate evaluation particularly important when losses recur.

After two miscarriages, a conversation with your reproductive specialist about a recurrent pregnancy loss evaluation is appropriate. Depending on your history, that may include assessment of the uterine cavity, thyroid function, metabolic health, and other factors that could influence pregnancy.

Physical Recovery Is Only Part of Recovery

Following pregnancy loss, medical follow-up helps ensure that the body is recovering appropriately. Depending on the circumstances, this may involve monitoring pregnancy hormone levels, confirming that pregnancy tissue has passed, managing bleeding, or discussing when it is medically appropriate to try again.

The emotional experience rarely follows such a predictable course. A woman may feel ready to return to work while finding that she cannot attend a baby shower. She may feel relatively steady for several weeks, then experience renewed grief around the date of a planned ultrasound or the baby's expected due date.

Partners may also grieve differently, and these differences can create misunderstanding at a time when both people need support.

What Integrative Care Can Offer

Traditional Chinese Medicine has always considered physical health and emotional well-being interconnected. In my practice, that means paying attention to sleep, digestion, energy, menstrual health, circulation, and the emotional demands of fertility treatment and recovery.

Acupuncture may be one way to address symptoms such as stress, tension, or disrupted sleep as part of supportive care, although it has not been established as a treatment that prevents miscarriage. Nutrition, gentle movement, adequate rest, and emotional support can also contribute to overall well-being during recovery.

The care plan needs to fit the individual. Someone recovering from an ectopic pregnancy or surgery may have very different medical and physical needs from someone who experienced an uncomplicated early miscarriage. Your obstetric or fertility team should guide decisions about when to resume treatments, exercise, or attempts to conceive.

When You Are Ready to Consider Another Pregnancy

For many women, the desire to become pregnant again is present almost immediately. Others need months before they feel ready to think about another pregnancy, and some are uncertain whether they want to try again at all.

If you are planning another pregnancy, this can be an opportunity to review your overall health with your care team. Thyroid function, blood sugar regulation, medications, nutrient status, and any findings from a pregnancy loss evaluation may deserve attention.

I also encourage women to return to the everyday foundations that support reproductive health: consistent meals, adequate protein and nutrient intake, sleep, appropriate movement, and time for physical recovery. These are useful aspects of preconception care for anyone preparing for pregnancy. They are not guarantees against another loss.

For someone who has experienced repeated losses, individualized medical evaluation remains essential, even when she is doing everything possible to support her health.

Pregnancy After Loss Deserves Its Own Kind of Support

One of the experiences I wish we discussed more openly is how difficult pregnancy after loss can be.

The positive pregnancy test may bring relief and excitement, followed almost immediately by fear. Each ultrasound can feel like another moment when everything might change. Some women find it difficult to imagine a future with their baby because they are afraid of becoming attached and being disappointed again.

Specialized reproductive mental health support can be especially valuable during this time. A therapist who understands miscarriage, infertility, IVF, and pregnancy after loss can help women and couples navigate the uncertainty that accompanies another pregnancy.

This was an important part of my recent Health Youniversity conversation with Jessica Fisher, founder of Lavela Health, whose work focuses on connecting people with reproductive mental health support.

Making Room for the Whole Experience

Pregnancy loss can affect physical health, emotional well-being, relationships, and the way someone approaches future reproductive decisions. I have seen women feel pressure to recover quickly because their medical treatment has ended, while privately continuing to carry the grief for months or years.

My hope for Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month is that we become more comfortable acknowledging these experiences and more thoughtful about the support we offer. Sometimes that means helping someone find an experienced therapist. Sometimes it means listening without offering solutions, remembering an important date, or asking how someone is doing long after everyone else has moved on.

For those preparing to try again, I believe in bringing together appropriate medical evaluation, whole-person health support, and care for the emotional experience. Every woman deserves to be treated as a whole person throughout her reproductive journey.

Listen to my Health Youniversity conversation with Jessica Fisher about reproductive loss and specialized mental health support.

Dr. Susan Fox, DACM, LAc, FABORM, has spent nearly 25 years supporting fertility, pregnancy, and reproductive health through an integrative approach combining Traditional Chinese Medicine and whole-person care.

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