Exactly 10 Weeks, advice on D&C?

KyCade3013 · January 2016

Hi, unfortunately I just had a miscarriage at 10 weeks, coincidentally the same day I had an ultra sound visit scheduled. Anyway, my doctor advised a D&C because at 10 + weeks it's hard to pass naturally all the tissue and if you can't, you end up with an emergency D&C due to excessive bleeding anyway. This is my first experience with miscarriage, any help or advice is greatly appreciated. I only know what my doctor has told me about it, I don't know anyone who's had to have one at 10 weeks. I work full time and the thought of passing the baby at work - I just know I won't be able to do that without having a total nervous breakdown at work and I work in finance and I just can't do that at work. the baby was at the point it looked like a baby on the ultra sound... And I don't know what I'd do when I passed it..

ceclarlinetlo · January 2016

I'm so sorry you are going through this. I have had two D&Cs one at 8weeks and one at 10 weeks. I am glad I got them done rather than miscarrying on my own. But everyone has different experiences. It's deciding between one crappy thing and another crappy thing. you just have to weigh the options and decide which is the least crappy for you right now. Some things to consider are that natural miscarriages can carry on for days especially when you are further a long and like you said you have to see the baby when you pass it. With a D&C you are asleep through the worst of it but it is a surgical procedure so it's possible to have complications. Miscarrying at home is "free" but you'll have to pay for the surgery. I was lucky and only had a $200 copay but I've read stories on here or families getting stuck with bills for $1000s.

Again I'm sorry you're faced with this decision. Big hugs.

chloe97 · January 2016

TMI warning***************************

I had a miscarriage with medication 4 years ago (unplanned pregnancy) and a D&C after mc at 10 weeks with the fetus measuring 8 weeks, 5 days in December. My doctor gave me the choice and I decided on the D&C mostly because I just wanted it to be over, but also because of my experience miscarrying last time. I wasn't prepared for the emotional trauma of passing the fetus. Even though at that time, I was mostly relieved because I was in a not awesome relationship and not ready financially, passing the sac was very scarring. I know how hard it was with an unplanned baby, I didn't know if I could handle seeing my 8.5 week fetus in the toilet.

I also thought that if I had the D&C, the doctor would test the fetus for abnormalities, but unfortunately my doctor didn't do that. I would ask your doctor if you're interested in knowing. Ultimately, I'm very glad I went that direction. Physically, it was over fast so that I could concentrate on healing emotionally. It was a bit scary having the surgery and being put under, but after the surgery, I felt fine and had no pain the next day.

AL_TwinCities · January 2016

I am 10 weeks today and waiting to miscarry naturally. My baby measured 8 weeks on Tuesday. My doctor made it sound like natural miscarriage is doable and the least risky option, but I will have another appointment in a couple weeks to reevaluate if I haven't miscarried yet. I have a friend who miscarried at 12 weeks with the aid of medication. She said if she were to go through it again, she would have done it naturally. She felt like the medication forced her body to miscarry before it was ready, and she ended up with retained tissue weeks later.

For me, I think this will be better closure. My last miscarriage was a chemical pregnancy and it just felt like a heavy period. I struggled with the miscarriage not feeling real, and then had an emotionally difficult time mourning and healing, even months later. Perhaps going through the miscarriage will help me accept and mourn better than I did last time.

I do not plan on miscarrying at work - from friends who have miscarried naturally it sounds like I can expect cramping to start getting stronger before passing the sac or baby, and the worst of it can last 3-5 hours. I plan on going home from work if I happen to be in the office when bleeding and cramping feel like they are getting stronger, or if I start passing clots.

I am going through this right now if you want to talk - message me any time. It sucks not knowing what is to come.

KyCade3013 · January 2016

Thanks for the extremely insightful advice. I'm still considering both options. It's very good to know you'll know when the sac is coming, but I work in NYC and would be 3 train rides away from home or sitting in traffic in a uber/taxi car. So hard to decide, ive found a lot of people bleed and start to pass it, go to doctor, find out they are miscarrying and it's a no brainier. Or it's just a sack left or whatever. I just have to figure out if I'm ok with passing a baby emotionally, or not. Both options s$ck.

CoonMom · January 2016

AL_TwinCities I'm so sorry to see you here. You were one of my favorites from TTC board and I know you had quite a journey. It breaks my heart reading this.

chloe97 · January 2016

@AL_TwinCities, I'm sorry for you loss. ACOG recommends that women who are between 10-12 weeks pregnant have D&Cs because of the risk of tissue not fulling expelling from the uterus. It's very likely that even if your friend had a natural miscarriage that she would have not expelled all of the tissue if she was 12 weeks. From what i understand doctors give you the option to miscarrying naturally or using medication between 10-12 weeks if that's what you prefer, but make it very clear that you may not pass all the tissue and may need a D&C.

From my experience with a medication-assisted miscarriage, I had a lot of bleeding/cramping the first couple days and assumed I had passed the sac. I kept bleeding another week and ended up passing the sac on Christmas Day at a truck stop. I had no painful cramps or any other warning and was completely shocked when I saw what was in the toilet. It was one of the most traumatic experiences of my life. This is why I didn't hesitate to have a D&C this time.

BaylieGirl · January 2016

I had to have a D&C after waiting 2 weeks and the natural miscarriage never occurred. In retrospect I wish I had made that choice as soon as I found out and didn't wait.

The day after the D&c I woke up feeling 100% better. No more morning sickeness and no cramping and only light spotting. I could have even gone to work the next day but was glad I took it off to give myself some TLC snuggle time with the dog.

For my D&C my doctor didn't use general anesthesia. She did the procedure in her office. She gave me Valium and Advil to take an hour before and used a local anastheric. It was not as painful as I thought it would be but was glad I had a Tylenol with Codine RX to take that night. The procedure took about 10 minutes and the nurse kept me distracted with bad date stories which helped take my mind off of what was going on. From check in till the time I left I was in the office only 30 minutes. I was only 7 weeks when the fetus stopped growing so that made the procedure easier.

I'm thankful to have all this over and can't wait till my checkup next week to find out when we can start TTC again.

KyCade3013 · January 2016

@AL_TwinCities I remember you too and thanks for the warm advice. I think we got bfp's around the same time. (Well obviously lol) I'm sorry, it sucks having to deal with this and right now and I hope we all have success in 2016.

silentP · January 2016

I am so, so sorry for your losses, ladies. So unfair. My heart goes out to you.

As far as D&C's, I have had two. I felt immediately relieved after both of them and felt able to move on a little bit better each day after. It was almost 3 weeks from the time my baby stopped growing until my procedure the second time and my body showed no sign of things progressing naturally.

The only downside for me is the cost, but at the same time, it was worth it to me. I had good experiences both times for a bad situation.

I wish you the best in whatever you decide.

ceu · January 2016

If you're anything like me, you'll want to be in the privacy of your own home in a time of natural miscarriage. I had one at 7w0d, and a d&c at 9w0d. The d&c was a lot faster, and easier than I expected, but my pregnancy symptoms haven't dissapated the same way they did with the MC, although that could be because I was further along, and there was a strong heartbeat. I thought that my bloating and my boobs would return to normal very shortly after a d&c, but it's been 6 weeks and I'm still struggling with it a bit. I'm so sorry for your loss. I wish you the best in what you decide.

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