Natural MC vs. D&C?

M.L.E · November 2008

Just wondering (for those who have already been through this nightmare) if they chose a natural MC or opted for a D&C? I have a D&C scheduled for tomorrow and feel I am making the right choice for me. I should be about 9 1/2 weeks, but the baby has no HB and is measuring 7 1/2 weeks. So the baby has been dead for about two weeks and absolutely nothing is happening. But I am also wondering if I should wait and let nature take it's course. For those who chose a natural MC, how long did you wait for things to start happening? And for those who had a D&C, how long was the recovery time? Thanks.

jeffrae · November 2008

I had both with my m/c. My baby measured just over 6 weeks. I used misoprostol to induce (3 months ago today). Very painful and lots of bleeding. My first OB checked me, said everything had passed and my cervix had closed and everything was good. I ended up switching OBs who started monitoring my HCG levels a month later (still at 20 then). I had two more big AF type bleeding episodes (click on my chart link and you can see the pattern) and my levels were at 2 when my new OB had me get an u/s due to persitant spotting. It showed some retained tissue, so I had to get a D&C over two months later. The recovery after that was so much easier then going through the natural m/c. If I were to have to go throug this again, I would choose a D&C right away. Good luck tomorrow. If you don't have one, get a heating pad, it will really help.

luckyangel · November 2008

I'm with Jeffrae on this one. I am going through it right now. My doc was out of the country when this all started and the other doc didnt want to do a d&c without my doc having a chance to look at the results of the tests. I should have been at 9weeks and was measuring 7 1/2 with no hb. Now i would be at 10 weeks today and I just started going through the spotting and cramping. The cramping is horrioble and I talked to the on call doc who was no help at all. I wouldnt go through this if I wasnt waiting for my doc, I would have had a d&c already. My situation is forced on me, but if I were you I would go ahead. I'm not passing the sac as of yet and I'm afraid I will end up doing a D&C after I see my doc tomorrow and have dealt with this pain and bleeding and the stress for nothing.
Good lucky sweety.

Rosieoutlook · November 2008

I was 10 weeks when it was discovered that there was no heartbeat and measuring 7 weeks, 5 days. I had my m/c at 10 weeks, 6 days without having to take anything to start it. I really wanted to avoid the D&C because it was really scary sounding to me (I have a hard time with medical anesthesia, etc) and am glad I was able to.

samm1983 · November 2008

I have had both: 1st was a spontaneous miscarriage, so there was no waiting for it to happen. ?2nd one I waited for about 7 weeks actually. ?The baby stopped developing early, and I took cytotec to induce the miscarriage and the 3rd one I did the D&C to get it over with. ?The D&C was so "easy" compared to the pain of the natural miscarriage, but I did have some issues with it not being complete and having to have basically a second D&C two months later.

Mrs.EmmaLouise · November 2008

I am very sorry for your loss.

I think each option is right for different people, so whatever you choose, is the right choice. I went in for my NT scan at 11w3d and found out there was just an empty sac. I was still having tons of morning sickness, and no signs of bleeding or cramping. Which meant my body had no idea, and I wasnt willing to wait for it to figure things out. My doctor tried to talk me into waiting or using the drugs, but I didnt think emotionally I could handle that. I had the D&C two days later and recovered physically very fast. When I got my pathology report back I learned I had a partial molar. My doctor said if I had tried the natural m/c or with the drugs it wouldnt have worked and I wouldve had to get a D&C eventually anyways. So I am very thankful I choose that option. I would hate to have prolonged it any longer. I also had recently had surgery, and new what that entailed, so I wasnt nervous or anxious about that. I think alot of people are scared of surgery and anesthisia (can you blame them?) and the D&C costs alot more, and that might help people choose. Good luck with your surgery, I will keep you and your family in my thoughts.

alwyzbsy · November 2008

I'm sorry for your loss. My dr recommended a D&C, which I had the following day. I spent the night in the hospital and went home the following morning. I had cramps several days after the D&C, and bleeding/spotting for 10 days. The worst physical part of the recovery was having to wear pads, instead of tampons.

Cow-girl · November 2008

I'm sorry for your loss.

I opted for a D&C because it had been two weeks since the baby had developed and my hormone levels were still going up. It was obvious that my body wasnt recognizing it. My recovery time was a bit longer than average because they did the D&C while I was awake and I tensed up which caused me to cramp REALLY bad for a week afterwards.

On the bright side AF showed up 4 weeks to the day of my D&C and now we can start TTC again!

rj2004 · November 2008

I think if you like to be in control to do the D&C. I had an awful natural mc where I ended up loosing so much blood, that I went to the hospital and still had to have a D&C.

wed05 · November 2008

I am sorry for your loss. I actually miscarried one week ago. My baby stopped developing around 6w5d, and 2 weeks after the diagnosis, I started bleeding. After 2 days of light bleeding, the horrible cramps started. The cramps finally got better when I miscarried, with lots of blood clots and tissues....I saved the tissues, but I couldn't bear to look at it. Anyway, while I was bleeding heavily, I told myself that I would rather have a D&C. Natural miscarriage to me is just too painful, both physically and mentally.

Good luck with whatever decision you are going to make!

Tony_Loves_Amy · November 2008

I waited almost one month to naturally miscarry. It was physically pretty painful. It was the right decision for me because I knew it was the only way I could get the closure I needed. If I weren't so chicken about getting surgery, I probably would have went the D&C route because at the end I was ready to move on. It took about 3 days to completely expel everything, but I bleed for a total of 15 days. Good luck. Stay strong.

ilovemygirls · November 2008

I chose a D&C and was very happy with my choice. Especially after reading what some of the ladies on this board have gone through with natural m/c. To each her own, but I definitely would not have wanted that. My D&C was so fast & easy with hardly any bleeding afterward. I was out shopping w/my 18mo the next day....

M.L.E · November 2008

Thanks for your responses. I still plan on going forward with the D&C tomorrow. I guess the thought of sitting and waiting not knowing when it will happen makes me nervous. And I know when I do start bleeding, I will probably go to the ER because I will freak out and I would end up the a D&C anyways, which happened to many of you. It's good to read what happened to others who have gone through this, so I have somewhat of an idea of what to expect. Thanks again.

rose76 · December 2008

I had 3 natural m/c's. With the last one, the dr was really pushing me into having a D &C. I thought the natural m/c's were more emotionally painful than physically. GL

Rose

3 m/c's

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