d & c vs. letting it happen naturally

sunflwr2 · November 2013

I want a d & c. I feel like the quicker I can get this taken care of the quicker I can move on from it. the thought of waiting for this to happen on its own is giving me total anxiety. when will it happen? how bad will it be? Its too much.
why would you choose one over the other and do you have a choice? going to my doctor later today. thanks for the support

megrae12 · November 2013

My story is slightly different as I had to have surgery to remove my tube, but I found that after my surgery I felt much better emotionally. It was over, so I could begin the process of healing instead of being in limbo. That worked out better for me. ((Hugs))

mdarmetko · November 2013

I've done both. The first mc I had a D&C. For me it was easy and painless, I bled for a week or so after and got AF 5 weeks later. For the second I opted to try naturally for 2 reasons: 1, this mc was not as definite in my mind, so I didn't want to force an abortion. 2, a D&C can cause scarring and so doing it again could cause more scarring, impeding implantation in the future. If for some reason I had a 3rd mc, they would most likely want to do a D&C to collect matter for testing, so I wanted to avoid more surgery if possible. I started to mc 3 days after I stopped taking progesterone and passed the sac 2 days later, which was the only day I had bad cramping. However, I bled for 40 days (first heavy, then light/spotting, then picking up back to heavy again), because I had some "product" hanging out. I took 2 doses of cytotec and the second one finally got everything out. I think I'm in the minority for not cramping on the cytotec, but it was painless for me.

So, in summary, for me the D&C was the quickest and easiest, but now I have scar tissue. The natural path was for the most part painless, but lasted way longer than I would have liked, as completion of the mc is not guaranteed. However, I feel like the natural help me with closure a bit more. Hope this info helps.

alm288 · November 2013

I was not given the option because I had a lot of blood in my uterus. I am glad I had d&c as it was pretty much painless and enabled me to move on. Both procedures have pros and cons - you should discuss them with your dr. and tell him/her your concerns. They give you antibiotics when you have a d&c, so I think you are at less risk for an infection. Also you are at less risk for a hemorrhage. Although the risks for them both are low. From what I have read, there is also only a low risk for scarring after a d&c.

Best of luck!

abbyful · November 2013

I was in the same boat. I want this over with as quickly as possible, but I also am scared of the risks.

It's really a very personal decision.

I chose to wait it out naturally (which yes, sucks, my body keeps "teasing" me by spotting.bleeding a little bit, then stopping). I would have liked the quickness of a D&C, but I am scared of the [low] risk of scarring affecting my fertility. I just don't feel like gambling right now because I feel like I recently "gambled" (since 1 in 5 pregnancies end in m/c) and lost.

I wasn't offered cytotec to speed things along. The options I was given were either "wait" or "D&C".

mrsd0930 · November 2013

I chose a medical miscarriage since my body wouldn't naturally miscarry. I took miso vaginally. The pain was very intense (extremely strong cramps) for several hours but then it was over with. I have high anxiety over hospitals, so this was the right decision for me. My doctor gave me prescription pain meds and I took Tylenol too. Hugs to you.

FitMamaInProgress · November 2013

I tried To pass everything naturally for a week and a half. It was emotionally draining and quite painful. I bled and had Clotts the size of golf balls and yet after a week and a half everything was still in tact on the ultrasound…

In a heartbeat I would have a d&c over miscarrying naturally ever again. I had the surgery after a week and a half of trying to miscarry naturally. I would never wish that anyone naturally go through what I saw…

Surgery wasn't painful - still emotional, yes. I recovered quickly and bled for a week or week and a half but not as bad as miscarrying naturally.

Just my opinion. Xo so sorry you're going thru this.

babyknutson · November 2013

I don't mean to alarm anyone but my doctor said the surgery can leave scar tissue and make it harder to conceive

babyknutson · November 2013

love and hugs to you!

musickphan912 · November 2013

*****DD mentioned*******

I am so sorry for your loss. This is such a hard experience and I'm very sorry you're having to make the choice on how to end it.

I was given my choice of waiting for natural, medication or D&C. In the end after doing tons of research, I chose to do a D&C. Waiting to do it naturally would have been so painful emotionally, it could have taken up to 6 weeks and my husband and I want to try again as soon as possible. After reading how painful things could get with medication, I didn't want to worry about scaring my 3 year old if she saw me going thru it. The D&C was fairly painless physically and I got to go home in just a few hours. For me, it was definitely the best option and I'd choose it again in an instant. It makes it easier to move on when you know everything is definitely over and the physical pain takes a back seat so you can focus on getting back to normal emotionally.

MMason12 · November 2013

After 4 weeks my body still had not started to miscarry naturally so I choose to have the d&c done. I bled for about two days afterwards, no bleeding or spotting for a week, and then bled again for a week.

The d&c was quick and painless. I was glad to finally get it over with so I could move on.

Denise91980 · November 2013

My first loss I chose a D&C because there was no heartbeat at 8 weeks. I wanted it to be over ASAP because I wanted to move on to the healing process and move past it. It was pretty quick and painless and I didn't bleed much. The second time around was natural and I think I felt emotionally worse because of everything I saw. I feel like the D&C was a good option for me personally, plus I didn't want to play the waiting game.

HollynLeana · November 2013

I'm having a d&c on Monday---anybody get pregnant easily after that? I had two years ago for polyps and got pregnant on my first IUI this October, which was amazing...but will it be harder now?

Lrlynch04 · November 2013

I chose to let it happen naturally, as I had already started bleeding. However, 11 days of bleeding and I still had retained product. I ended up with a d&c 2 weeks after the bleeding stopped because my hormone levels started rising again. Hindsight? I would've gone with the d&c from the beginning. So sorry for your loss!!

sgio7485 · November 2013

I went with a D & C. It's different for everyone, but personally I wanted it over very quickly.

co baby1 · November 2013

Such a personal decision! I had a natural miscarriage mostly because I couldn't make a decision I felt comfortable with 100%. My MW drew blood after we had the ultrasound that found our baby without a heartbeat and stopped growing. I should have been 11 wks, baby stopped growing at 9 wks and my bloodwork came back around 5 weeks. There was anxiety in waiting but bc my hormone levels were so low it happened 3 days later.

I had spotting/cramps in the afternoon that turned into full bleeding with clots in the evening. My body went through awful contraction type cramps for a couple hours and then I passed the sac and everything calmed down. I bled for a few days after and had stopped by the time we had our follow up apt just over a week later. The vaginal ultrasound caused the bleeding to pick back up for a few days but then it was completely done. I just started my period, just over 4 weeks later and it has been pretty awful but I have read that happens either way. Good luck with your decision and ((hugs))!

Glow360 · November 2013

I am sorry for your loss, very heartbreaking. I don't know if my advise is any good because I have never had a D & C, but I did do it naturally and I wish I did the D & C. I went into full labor pains and ended out in the ER. It was one full day of extreme pain and mild pain for three days and then light cramping for a week and on and off cramping for the second week with spotting. Nobody prepares you for passing of MC--and it was at that moment aside from the day of pain that I wish I would have had it done. It was alarming to pass the clots and tissue associated with the MC. I MC a few weeks back, I am feeling better physically and mentally, but no sign of menstrual cycle yet. Keep us posted on how you are doing!

farmerswife06 · November 2013

I'm so thankful you asked this. I was just given this option yesterday and I couldn't really answer because I had no clue what to do. So my doc said we will wait a week and see if I start on my own. If I don't then he will set me up for a D&C. I'm so confused. I don't know if natural is what I want. But I don't want scarring either. I just don't know if I can hold it together to get through all the bleeding and cramping... I'm scared i guess.... Thanks again for posting this. I have been second guessing all day! I still dont know what to do. I guess I'll just wait and see what happens. I'm so thankful for the bump!

JessicaG220 · December 2013

I just had a d&c Friday. I had minimal cramping and almost no bleeding. It was pretty painless physically. I think it's a personal choice. I just wanted to move on from my loss and the thought of going to work still carrying was too hard to imagine.

dkizz82 · December 2013

I started miscarrying at round 12:30 Saturday morning. By 7:25, I had almost completed the natural miscarriage. My dr. decided to still perform the d&c. I had it at 10:00 Saturday morning and was released at 2:00 that afternoon. I've had minimal bleeding and a little cramping. Nothing compared to when I was miscarrying. The d&c was painless and didn't take much time. Good luck with your decision.

kikimeemee · December 2013

Lrlynch04 said:

I chose to let it happen naturally, as I had already started bleeding. However, 11 days of bleeding and I still had retained product. I ended up with a d&c 2 weeks after the bleeding stopped because my hormone levels started rising again. Hindsight? I would've gone with the d&c from the beginning. So sorry for your loss!!

I had a very similar mindset to Ltlynch04. I allowed things to go naturally at first because I thought it sounded best. But my HCG levels never started dipping (still rose but not high enough for a viable pregnancy, and no heartbeat either) and the cramping was intense and at the most random times during the work day (always during the workday, of course). It's not like I could take off work for weeks until things passed naturally. It was very difficult for me to wait day in and day out for things to pass, and nothing would. I gave it 24 days and still no natural passing, so I had a D&C. My mom works in the field and she told me any risk of complications were minimal and suggested a D&C was the way to go since I was showing no signs of the end. She said her mother had 2 back in the 50s, and went on to have 6 successful pregnancies. I felt better knowing the procedure has been around for so long as I had never heard of it until my personal hell came into my life. I was very against the D&C, but got to the point where it felt more unnatural to carry on the way I was. I had the D&C and felt better the next day. I had absolutely no cramping and the lightest of discharge/blood.

I would say if you don't know what to do, allow things to go naturally at first, and if things don't pass as you'd expect you may hit your moment where you are certain it's time for a D&C like me.

bissea83 · January 2014

I'm so sorry for your loss!

it's totally your choice and i hope our stories help.

this is mc # 3 - for 1 & 2 i started bleeding as the first sign of mc so it happen naturally - and until now that would have been my choice.

This time i was 12 weeks and the ultrasound showed baby measuring 8 weeks with no heartbeat anymore (we went for the down syndrome/genetic testing u/s). I was heartbroken and anxious. the next day i woke up with incredible pain in my lower abs and we ended up doing and emergency d&c in 24 hrs. I'm so glad it happened that way because i can start working on healing now and the fear and anxiety i felt the last 2 times was minimal this time.

good luck :-)

HokieLaw · January 2014

I've done both. Natural mc at 6w pregnant which was painful and awful. It took 3 weeks to stop bleeding and I cramped horribly the entire time. My OB ended up giving me painkillers. He offered a D&C but I didn't want to do it.

This time I was 9w3d when I found out I lost my baby. I did the D&C on Tuesday. Surgery was at 7:30 am and I was released at 10:30. It wasn't bad. I've had minimal bleeding and very little cramping. This one has been much harder on me emotionally because of how far along we were but I feel like the D&C has made it easier.

this+gamer+chick · January 2014

I got the D&C, which my doctor recommended because of how far along we were. She said she was worried about excessive bleeding if I let it happen naturally. The night before the D&C, I barely slept and was tormented with thoughts of the dying baby I was carrying (had no heartbeat and had stopped growing a week prior, but still had a tiny flicker on the u/s - doc explained that it was the last of its life dying off but it was, for all intents and purposes, not alive). The D&C gave me closure. I can't imagine waiting for the natural m/c - I personally don't think I would have been strong enough to do that without breaking down.

cole1265 · January 2014

alm288 said:
I was not given the option because I had a lot of blood in my uterus. I am glad I had d&c as it was pretty much painless and enabled me to move on. Both procedures have pros and cons - you should discuss them with your dr. and tell him/her your concerns. They give you antibiotics when you have a d&c, so I think you are at less risk for an infection. Also you are at less risk for a hemorrhage. Although the risks for them both are low. From what I have read, there is also only a low risk for scarring after a d&c.

Best of luck!

Pretty much this. Good luck.

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