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What's a D&C?
The Ins and Outs of Dilation and Curettage
By Kelly Burgess
"The advantage of the D&C is that it's over by the time the patient is faced with the inevitability of miscarriage," Dr. Lazarus says. "Offering an evacuation of the uterus that day or the next day can be a big advantage, emotionally."
Dr. Peter Beller, director of women's ambulatory health services at Hartford Hospital, says the amount of bleeding and cramping associated with a miscarriage can be excessive, and a D&C minimizes some of that discomfort. The more advanced the pregnancy was, the more discomfort there might be, so a woman who is further along will be better served by a D&C than by waiting it out. In addition, Dr. Beller says, a D&C is definitely preferred over a medication-induced miscarriage in pregnancies that were further along.
"Even at 10 to 12 weeks there can be a lot of tissue," Dr. Beller says. "At that point I would not recommend medication or expectant management, as there can be a significant amount of pain and cramping."
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