When does my period come back after a miscarriage?

The NHS says that after a miscarriage it can take up to 8 weeks before you have a period again, and that it may take a few months for your periods to go back to what is usual for you. A hospital leaflet from the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, written for women after a surgical procedure, gives a narrower usual range of four to six weeks. This page sticks to what these two sources say. It cannot tell you whether your own timing is typical.

What the sources say about your first period

• When it comes. The NHS says it can take up to 8 weeks. The Royal Free leaflet says it will usually take four to six weeks, and that it may take longer for your period to settle into a regular cycle.
• It may not look like your usual period. The leaflet says the first period may be heavier or lighter than you usually experience, and should return to normal within two to three cycles. The NHS says periods may take a few months to go back to what is usual for you.
• Bleeding before that. The NHS says vaginal bleeding or spotting after a miscarriage may last for up to 2 weeks. The leaflet says the same length of time after the procedure, that it lessens over time, and that it may become brown in colour. The sources describe this as bleeding from the miscarriage itself and describe your next period separately.

Trying again and intimacy

The NHS says you can try to get pregnant again when you feel ready, after your symptoms have gone. It also says not to have sex until your miscarriage symptoms have gone, because there is a risk of infection. The Royal Free leaflet says to wait for at least one regular period cycle before trying to get pregnant again. The NHS adds that you should talk to a GP if you have had 3 or more miscarriages. If you are unsure what applies to you, ask the doctor or midwife who looked after you.

If you are a Muslim woman wondering about prayer and fasting

This page does not issue a ruling. Whether bleeding after a miscarriage is nifas depends on how far along the pregnancy was, and the schools describe the line differently; see do I pray if I am bleeding after a miscarriage. Once a period starts, what counts as hayd explains how the schools set its limits. The wait for a period after a birth runs on a different timeline, covered in when your period returns after giving birth.

What is worth writing down

The details that help a doctor are the date the miscarriage began, the day the bleeding stopped, the first day of your first period afterwards, and whether it felt heavier or lighter than usual. A period tracker built for Muslim women keeps those dates in one place, and Nisaa is free on the App Store. If a period has not come and a test is negative, see a late period with a negative pregnancy test.

When to speak to a doctor

• The NHS says that if you are worried about any of your symptoms, contact a GP, NHS 111 or your pregnancy unit if you have one.
• The NHS says to call 999 (the UK emergency number) if the bleeding is heavy, meaning it soaks a period pad soon after you put it on, or if you have severe tummy pain, shoulder pain, or feel faint. Elsewhere, use your local emergency number.
• The Royal Free leaflet says to contact the early pregnancy unit at the hospital where you had the procedure, or your GP, if you have cramping pain that over-the-counter medication does not relieve.
• Neither source gives a point after which a missing period is a concern. If your period has not returned and you are worried, ask your doctor.