d&c procedure?

Question

I am just so curious of this D&C procedure. If you undergo this procedure, will you be hospitalized? How many days? Is it painful? What are the effects? Will I feel pain after, discomfort either?

Answer 1

What are you having the D&C procedure for? I know it is not only used for abortion. Just in case you are having an abortion, here is some info on it...to me at least, D&C abortion sound more painful for the unborn baby!

Surgical, First Trimester: Dilatation* and Curettage (D&C)

* Note: Sometimes the term "dilation" rather than "dilatation" is used.

In this technique, the cervix is dilated or stretched to permit the insertion of a loop shaped steel knife in order to scrape the wall of the uterus. This cuts the baby’s body into pieces and cuts the placenta from the uterine wall. Bleeding is sometimes considerable since the doctor is blindly scraping with the curette.

14 Blood loss from D & C, or "mechanical" curettage, is greater than for suction aspiration, as is the likelihood of uterine perforation and infections. 15

This method should not be confused with routine D&C's done for reasons other than undesired pregnancy (to treat abnormal uterine bleeding, dysmenorrhea, etc.). l6 D&C's are routinely performed after a miscarriage.

Answer 2

It is generally am out patient procedure. You shouldn't be hospitalized, and you may feel some discomfort after. You will get some pain medications, and you may notice some spotting and cramps. You won't feel too good the day after, but you will feel much better a few days later. I had a uterine cyst removed like that once, and the procedure was the same as those for women choosing to terminate a pregnancy.

Answer 3

It is an out-patient procedure and you will go home that same day. It can be painful, but only in the form of very bad period-like cramping. You are usually given pretty good pain medication, so it's really not that bad. Most likely, you'll develop some heavy bleeding that should be finished in a few days time.

Answer 4

I had endometriosis, and in an effort to repair some of the damage, I had 3 D & C's over 5 or 6 years..

One I had no pain at all. One was Ghastly (and I was accumstomed to the pain of endo.) the third was moderate.

So it's hard to tell exactly how it will effect you. Now I am sure it is outpatient. When mine were done I was in the Hospital for 2 days each.

Good Luck.

Answer 5

Please see the web pages for more details and images on Dilatation and Curettage.
Normal activities may be resumed as soon as the patient feels well, possibly even the same day. There may be vaginal bleeding, as well as pelvic cramps and back pain for a few days after the procedure.
Pain can usually be managed well with medications. Tampon use is not recommended for a few weeks, and sexual intercourse is not recommended for a few days.