Miscarrying versus D&C

I've been checking in periodically and want to congratulate all the new moms on their beautiful babies and wish all those TTC baby dust and BFPs.

I wanted to thank you for your support and very kind words when we found out a couple of weeks ago that the baby no longer had a heartbeat; it was SO helpful.  I'm doing okay--good days and some not-so-good-days.

I have had very light bleeding and occasional light cramping but no miscarriage.  Another very recent ultrasound reconfirmed that the baby doesn't have a heartbeat, shows everything is still intact, and nothing is progressing as far as a miscarriage.  My OB highly recommends allowing my body to miscarry on its own, even if it takes several months.  He says the risk of scar tissue from a D&C (very rare) is more problematic if I want to try to conceive again than the risk of infection (even more rare).  Of course, if I want a D&C, he will do it without hesitation.  MY RE recommends a D&C if there is no miscarriage in two weeks--three at the latest (it's been two since there was no heartbeat and the baby stopped growing 4-5 days before that;  I would have been 10 1/2 weeks today).  They feel the risk of infection is greater than the risk of scar tissue from the D&C, and much more problematic a future implantation.  I'm inclined to go with the RE's recommendation--they are the experts who are trying to get me pregnant.  They want me to call my OB tomorrow and get on the schedule for early next week in case nothing happens over the weekend.

Any feedback would be appreciated.  Also any input , if you can bear to share it, on what to expect from a D&C.  Thank you!

First off, I'm sorry for your loss and will keep you in my prayers. As for waiting and allowing the miscarriage to happen naturally, honestly I've never heard of that. In my experience if the body didn't fully miscarry on it's own, a D&C is performed. I think it's more of a risk of infection if your body doesn't miscarry. I would lean towards your RE's recommendation also.

As for what to expect from a D&C, you would be put to sleep and when you wake up, would have some mild cramping and bleeding. Usually no worse than a period. It's a fairly quick procedure and doesn't require much for recovery time.

Best of luck to you.

I would agree with your RE about the D&C. It can cause very bad infection for the placenta to go bad and be reabsorbed into the blood. Not that it would happen within a few weeks, but months------NO WAY. I think it is insensitive to your emotional needs to make you go through that for months.

As far the conceiving thing....I got pregnant the month after our first cycle post D&C. And we weren't even trying....not really.

I couldn't wait to have my D&C. It almost bugged me more that my baby's body was in there- not living and my body didn't even do what it was supposed to do. Honestly, as cryptic as it sounds, I felt like a coffin. I couldn't move on until the D&C.

It only took about an hour+an hour in recovery. I bled for weeks after, but most people don't. I think it depends on how far along you are when the baby stops growing.  I was ten and a half weeks when the baby stopped and 15 when I had the D&C.

I hope you get it all worked out. It's such a heartbreaking thing to go through.

Angie

Angie I felt the same way!! I found out about 3pm on thursday I scheduled the D&C for friday morning at 7am - I just wanted it OVER!

so sorry again for you loss *Hugs*

My OB (who is highly qualified and by HR OB) agreed that a D&E (slightly different then a D&C but basically the same thing) was the way to go. I found out that there was no baby at 11 weeks. The sack had stopped growing at 8 weeks. I didn't have any discomfort, cramps or bleeding so they said it was the best way to go.

I had to be at the hospital at 7am - they did the procedure around 9am - it took about 20 minutes ( I was under general anestesia) it was done at the local hospital in the OR. I went home and was home by noon. I felt OK - no discomfort and little cramping. I bled for about 2 weeks. I was told to wait 1 full cycle before TTC.

The emotional part is FAR harder then the physical part in my mind. That and your hormones do go all screwy since one day your body thinks it is pregnant and the next it isn't.

I am so sorry for your loss.  I have had two miscarriages and have gone the natural as well as the D&C route.  If you don't start bleeding in a day or two, I personaly would have a D&C.  Once there was no heartbeat, i just wanted to pregnancy overwith!  The second miscarriage i started bleeding and then they could not find a heartbeat via ultrasound.  That time, i just let nature take its course because the miscarriage had already started.  Best of luck with whatever you decide.

I agree with your RE. Get the D&C. I just had one in June. It wasn't bad at all. I wanted it all over with so I could grieve and not have my dead baby inside me :( It really wasn't bad at all. A bit of cramping and I bleed for 1 week. 7 weeks later I got my period and we can start TTC again when we are ready:) Im so sorry for your loss. This has been one of the hardest things I have ever been through. My heart still skips a beat when I think of my baby. The sadness is still very real and raw. I'm told in time it does ease up. ((((((((Hugs))))))

Jackie

Jennifer,

I am so sorry for your loss. I was in the same boat as you. I had a heartbeat at 6 1/2 weeks and then at 8 1/2 weeks it stopped beating. The RE wanted me to have miscarry naturally on my own. He said if in two weeks I hadn't started bleeding, to call the office and they would talk about a D&C.

I started bleeding and bled for 14 days. I had HORRIBLE cramping and they said was the uterus contracting trying to get out the stuff that was there. I finally passed the baby. IT WAS PAINFUL...I won't lie. They say that some pass things in stages and the baby dissolves prior to uterus shedding. Well, I passed something the size of a large hot dog bun laid flat. They said I passed it all at once. They gave me pain pills and I used them around day 10-14. I then went in every four days after I had passed the tissue to watch for my HCG numbers to go to zero. So, it was a long process that reminded me daily that I was miscarrying.

My RE said he would do a D&C to test the baby if I had a second miscarriage. But, because he knew we wanted kids and didn't already have one, he wouldn't recommend having a D&C unless my body wasn't taking care of it.

I am here if you need anything. You are in my thoughts!

Traci

I'm so sorry for your loss- I had gone back to see my OB and they couldn't find a heartbeat with my first pregnancy.  I went to the appointment alone, and had to make the decision to let it happen naturally or have a D&C.  I left and went home to decide.  Once I started thinking about it- I felt like another person said..except this is what I explained to my husband.  I know the baby is a part of us, and it greatly saddens me that we lost our child...but right now I literally feel like a mobster with a dead body in the truck...and I'm not sure when I'll get caught.  I just felt like I couldn't live not knowing when it would happen or if it would completely happen on it's own.  I decided D&C- emotionally it was horrible. Physically- it was nothing...I didn't hurt (mild cramps that day) and I bleed lightly for a few days, my cycle was back in a week.  My Dr knew I wanted children so he was extra careful about doing the procedure.  I think I took Tylenol the first day for MILD cramps- emotionally I wanted sedated for my lifetime.  It was hard- but I have learned to cope with the loss of our baby.  HUGS!

I cant really tell you what to expect I misscarried on my own with out intervention.

But I can tell you that I am very sorry about your loss and I know how much it just completely stinks!
I can not imagine going around waiting to misscarry...

I hope you get your D&C soon and recover quickly.