D&C or wait

Specialties Ob/Gyn

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At my first ob appt today at 9 weeks, there was no heartbeat. I had seen the little heart beating just 2 weeks ago. It was heart wrenching to see but I had suspected something was wrong when most of my symptoms started going away this last week.

My question is this; my doctor has recommended a D&C but she also said that I could wait and let things happen naturally. I would prefer to wait and let nature take it's course but I have read that this could take weeks and with a D&C the bleeding is pretty much over within a couple of days. Would anyone be able to offer any advice?

Thanks so much.

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At my first ob appt today at 9 weeks, there was no heartbeat. I had seen the little heart beating just 2 weeks ago. It was heart wrenching to see but I had suspected something was wrong when most of my symptoms started going away this last week.

My question is this; my doctor has recommended a D&C but she also said that I could wait and let things happen naturally. I would prefer to wait and let nature take it's course but I have read that this could take weeks and with a D&C the bleeding is pretty much over within a couple of days. Would anyone be able to offer any advice?

Thanks so much.

Hi,

I'm sorry to hear of your loss. I too went through this about 6 years ago. I had been experiencing some hyperemesis and my OB/GYN thought I should have an ultrasound at 9 weeks. We could see the baby on the screen and they even printed pictures for me. He then ordered a few lab tests and asked that I come back in a week for a followup and another ultrasound. When I went back they not only couldn't find the heartbeat, but there was no baby. Even being a nurse didn't help me understand this one. My doctor told me that in about 20% of cases this occurs. He basically said my body had absorbed the baby. It wasn't a very pleasant thought. He then recommended that I have a D & C. My husband and I decided to go ahead and have it done, so within 1 hour I was in the hospital getting prepped. The doctor later told me that only the sac had remained. I think I had some light bleeding and cramping for a few days, but it soon subsided. I'm glad that I decided to have the D & C, I think that my body recovered much quicker than it probably would have otherwise. I wish you the best with whatever you decide to do. Let me know if I may be of some help to you.

Katrina

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Hi Frg22 and Katrina,

I'm so sorry you both had to go thru this. It's so unfair.

I had a completely unexpected SpAB w/twins at 11 weeks. There was just no heartbeat for either one.

I opted for the D&C and I'm glad I did. Waiting just seemed too cruel. My DH&I had been TTC for years and this was such a blow.

Waiting to MC naturally would have been far worse for me, and I'm glad my doc talked me into it. I personally couldn't prolong the pain.

Good luck, and you're both in my thoughts tonight. I'm so sorry.

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

I am, too, sorry for your loss. Oh boy, been there and it HURTS! I have done it both ways, naturally and D and C. The D and C seemed to make me feel better, if only knowing all products of conception were passed and there was no waiting for things to happen. The cramping that went with the natural miscarriage was beyond belief (I was taken by surprise how much it hurt)----and it seemed to me, it took about 3-5 days to "get going". It was torture. Not that a D and C is "easy"---cause it's not. It felt like an abortion of sorts to me, I had to reconcile its necessity in my mind, even though I knew the pregnancy was lost. But it was quicker and I can't recall ANY pain afterward, other than in my heart.

It's up to you in the end. I again, say I am sorry for your loss and feel your pain acutely. Hang in there and take it day by day. Don't be afraid to seek help with the emotional roller coaster you are going to ride the next weeks and if need be, go to a support group for this. Talking about it makes it easier to deal with and you don't feel so alone. You will find well-meaning people telling you "it was early, you can have more" or some other minimizing thing. DO NOT let them get to you. They mean well, but it was NO small thing, either. It was the loss of a child and a dream, and that is never a small matter to any parent. If you ever need to talk or have questions, please do not hesitate to call on me here at all nurses, via the PM function. I have lost 4 in 2 years (and others in the past), so I can understand your feelings well.

HUGS and here's to your conceiving and having a healthy baby in the future, should that be your desire!

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I am so sorry for all the losses.

Just about a year and a half ago I was told I had a blighted ovum (sp) this was told to me at 9 weeks, here in Japan they let everything go natural no such thing as a D&C. I waited and waited for things to happen and right before I would have been 18 wks ( 2 months later!) I finally started to mc, and it was horrible! It was worse then the 40 some hours of natural labor with my daughter. The bleeding after was horrible and very heavy, huge blood clots the sizes of oranges. I would never put myself through that experience again. I don't know much about D&C but they do seem much easier and less painful....

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I am so sorry for your loss. I went through a spontaneous miscarriage four years ago next month and it was very painful and did take a few days to get over. I don't have any experience with a D & C by itself, only with other surgeries so I don't have anything to compare it to for you.

I wish you all the best.....

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Hi there!

I am very sorry for your loss. I went through the same experience about 2 years ago and I would definately recommend the d and c to you. I was scheduled for a d and c but a few days before my body started to miscarry naturally..it was the worst pain I have ever had, I was crying and screaming and had never felt anything like it..and it went on for a few days. It was truly awful and then on top of it all an US showed not everything had been expelled so I had to have the d and c anyway! Recovery from that was fairly easy and nothing compared to what I had already been through.

Just my 2 cents!

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I am very sorry for you and your family. I had six miscarriages with five D&Cs and one natural. I'd recommend the D&C over the natural option. I am not sure if there is any consolation to your loss but I will share... my doctor told me that I would be more apted to get pregnant after a D&C AND I Finally DID!

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a "natural" miscarriage may be easier on your body, but has to be weighed against the stress of waiting. There is an injection being offered that will cause the fetus to miscarry "naturally", versus a D&C. Sometimes a D&C is offered if it is suspected that the pregnancy terminated some time ago and the fetus is not yet expelled. So there is no one-fits-all answer. I know you are grieving and I am so sorry. My daughter still grieves over a miscarriage she had last year. We want all our babies, don't we? I hope you find peace soon.

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Specializes in Med-surg; OB/Well baby; pulmonology; RTS.

I am so sorry for your loss. I really can't offer you any advice because when I miscarried, I was still carrying a surviving twin. My body just re-absorbed my little one.

Sending you ((((hugs))))...I'm so sorry :o

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Thank y'all so much for the information and I'm so sorry for so many losses. I have it scheduled for Monday morning. The emotional pain is more than enough to deal with without the physical pain.

I am 41 and this was my first pregnancy after 7 years of trying. I guess I'll have to decide where to go from here. This is very hard.

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Again, I am so sorry...if it's any consolation at all, I have heard that it is much easier to conceive right after a miscarriage and I have a daughter to prove it. ((((((((frg22)))))) I'll say a prayer for you.......

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