Medicine: o Take ibuprofen (Motrin or Advil) 800 mg every 8 hours as needed for pain.
Lighter bleeding often lasts one to two weeks and it may stop and start a few times. Taking ibuprofen (up to 800 mg every eight hours) and using a heating pad can help ease painful cramps.
Does taking ibuprofen increase the chance of miscarriage? Miscarriage can occur in any pregnancy. It is not known if taking ibuprofen early in pregnancy increases the chance for miscarriage. Some studies show a higher chance for miscarriage compared to those who do not take NSAIDs but other studies do not.
Take an over-the-counter pain medicine, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) for cramps. Talk to your doctor before you take ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or naproxen (Aleve). Read and follow all instructions on the label. You may have cramps for several days after the miscarriage.
For most adults and children ages 12 years and older, the recommended OTC dose of ibuprofen is 200 mg by mouth every 4 to 6 hours. If 200 mg didn't help enough, you have the option to take 400 mg at your next dose. You shouldn't take more than 1,200 mg of ibuprofen in a 24-hour period.
The usual dose for adults is one or two 200mg tablets or capsules 3 times a day. In some cases, your doctor may prescribe a higher dose of up to 600mg to take 4 times a day if needed. This should only happen under supervision of a doctor.
While ibuprofen is a strong pain reliever, it would take a high dose to affect your period. “Stopping a period would require a higher dose than any over-the-counter bottle recommends: about 800 milligrams of ibuprofen, every six hours, or 500 milligrams of naproxen, three times a day,” says Russell.
In early pregnancy, it's not known whether ibuprofen raises your risk of miscarriage. Some studies show a higher risk of miscarriage, but other studies show no risk. A recent Canadian study suggested that ibuprofen use in the first 20 weeks of pregnancy may raise the chance of miscarriage.
It may be best to take Paracetamol every 4 to 6 hours to a maximum of 8 tablets in a day, preferably starting before the pain is too strong. Ibuprofen (Nurofen) has an increased bleeding risk so you may want to talk to your midwife before using it.
Not all miscarriages are physically painful, but most people have cramping. The cramps are really strong for some people, and light for others (like a period or less). It's also common to have vaginal bleeding and to pass large blood clots up to the size of a lemon.
If you've accidentally taken a one-off dosage of ibuprofen before week 30 of your pregnancy, don't worry. This is unlikely to cause any harm, however regular use is dangerous and not recommended. If you have any concerns, please talk your GP, pharmacist or midwife.
If you have a miscarriage in your first trimester, you may choose to wait 7 to 14 days after a miscarriage for the tissue to pass out naturally. This is called expectant management. If the pain and bleeding have lessened or stopped completely during this time, this usually means the miscarriage has finished.
Certain uterine conditions or weak cervical tissues (incompetent cervix) might increase the risk of miscarriage. Smoking, alcohol and illicit drugs. Women who smoke during pregnancy have a greater risk of miscarriage than do nonsmokers. Heavy alcohol use and illicit drug use also increase the risk of miscarriage.
No sex, tampons, or douching for 2 weeks.
You may feel that sex will never be the same due to fatigue, physical discomfort, or anxiety. You should tell your partner how you feel.
Most of the tissue passes within 2 to 4 hours after the cramping and bleeding start. Cramping usually stops within a day. Light bleeding or spotting can go on for 4 to 6 weeks. Two weeks after the tissue passes, your ob-gyn may do an ultrasound exam or other tests to make sure all the tissue has passed.
It typically takes from one to nine weeks for hCG levels to return to zero following a miscarriage (or delivery).
Most early miscarriages look like heavy menstrual periods. If it's a very early miscarriage – before 4 to 5 weeks – then there might be no visible tissue or large blood clots. However, from 6 weeks, it's likely larger clots will be visible.
Taking ibuprofen occasionally for pain relief, for example when you have a headache, is unlikely to affect your fertility. However, it's best not to take ibuprofen tablets, capsules, granules or liquid for a long time (more than a week) if you're trying to get pregnant. In this case paracetamol is a better option.
Some studies have shown that women who take NSAIDs during pregnancy are more likely to have a miscarriage than women who have not. However, two of the three studies that have examined ibuprofen separately from other NSAIDs showed no link with miscarriage.
Ibuprofen, as with other NSAIDs, thins the blood. This means it takes longer for blood to clot, which can increase a person's bleeding risk. For most people, this is not a problem, but it could be an issue for people with low platelets and those at a high risk of hemorrhage (heavy bleeding).
“Results are unique to each woman, but I'd say, on average, a woman may experience 30 percent less bleeding if she takes 800 mg of ibuprofen (four over-the-counter pills) three times a day, ideally starting right before or when her period starts,” says Northwestern Medicine OB/GYN Heather Beall, MD.
(The maximum safe daily dose of ibuprofen is 2,400 milligrams, or 12 200-mg pills. Take the minimum dosage that works for you.) Right when you get your period, start with 800 mg and then go to 600 mg every six hours.
According to gastroenterologist Roshini Rajapaksa, MD, if you don't have a previous history of stomach ulcers, it's okay to take three ibuprofen—such as Advil—once in a while. Three Advil equates to 600 milligrams of ibuprofen and is actually a prescription-strength dosage, so it won't hurt you in the short term.