The unwanted termination of pregnancy is one of the most tragic losses in a woman’s life. Unfortunately, it happens quite often for various reasons. The most common cause of pregnancy termination is miscarriage. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, 10-15 percent of registered pregnancies end in miscarriage. Most of this type pregnancy terminations occur during the first 13 weeks of pregnancy.
Preventing hemorrhage and/or infection after a miscarriage is of utmost priority. The earlier you are in the pregnancy, the more likely your body will get rid of the fetal tissues all by itself without the need of additional medical procedures. If, however, the body cannot throw out all the tissue, a medical intervention is needed. This procedure is known as D&C.
How to Take Care of Yourself After D&C?
About half of the women who miscarry do not need D&C. When miscarriage happens after 10 weeks, however, it will most probably be incomplete so D&C will be needed.
D&C, aka dilation and curettage, is a two-stage medical procedure which is usually done after a first trimester miscarriage. Dilation is expanding the cervix and curettage is cleaning the uterus from the useless tissue. Curettage practically is scraping the walls of the uterus with a curette, or by a suction curettage (known also as vacuum aspiration). This is done with a vacuum-type instrument.
Every woman can decide for herself whether to miscarry naturally or to have a D&C procedure. If you choose for the latter, you should consult your doctor to refer you to a hospital or other type of surgical center. Largely, overall anesthesia is given, but sometimes local anesthesia is prescribed. Unless there are complications or other health concerns, you may be discharged from hospital within a few hours after C&D.
Taking Care of Yourself at Home After D & C
- Most women are able to return to their everyday activities within a few days. Some even feel comfortable enough to resume their activities (the non-strenuous ones) as soon as the next day.
- You may feel painful cramping at first, but that is due to pass within 24 hours. Light cramping and bleeding is normal from a few days up to two weeks after the procedure. Ibuprofen is generally prescribed for treating cramps.
- You shouldn’t insert anything in your vagina. Avoid taking douches having sex for at least 2 weeks, or until the bleeding stops. Your doctor will tell you when to resume these activities. Do not use tampons until your next regular period, which could be from 2 to 6 weeks after D&C.
- It will be unknown when your next ovulation may be. After resuming sex, use some method of contraception until your doctor tells you that it is safe to try to get pregnant again. Visit your obstetrician regularly after D&C procedure.
When to Consider Another Pregnancy After D&C
If you want to get pregnant after a miscarriage, talk to your doctor. Find out when you can try to conceive once again. Most specialists will advise you to wait three menstrual cycles after D&C before resuming attempts to have a baby. This period is needed for you uterus to heal after the intervention and for you to recover from the stress and the emotional trauma from losing your baby.
Avoid trying to conceive before you had at least one menstrual cycle following a D&C procedure. The first cycle after D&C is usually late and home pregnancy test is expected to test positive. Once the period starts, most women tend to think that they are having another miscarriage, when in reality this is the first miscarriage finally ending.
Tips on Starting a New Pregnancy After D&C
Keep in mind that after having a miscarriage your sexual life may not be the same as before. Frustration and hormonal changes may lead to a loss of libido. What used to be the fun part of trying to make a baby may now have turned into a mechanical unemotional process. On the other hand, the prospect to get pregnant again may boost your sexual desire. A healthy pregnancy needs a healthy body. If you lead a healthy lifestyle, eat healthy food and quit harmful habits, there is a good chance that you’ll have an easy pregnancy and a healthy baby.
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Helpful Tips |
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Eat healthy |
While pregnant you should keep a healthy diet, rich in proteins, vitamins and minerals. Try to reduce stress and cut on coffee and other drinks raising the heart rate and stimulating the nervous system. |
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Take folic acid |
If you are planning to conceive or if there is a chance of getting pregnant, you should start taking a folic acid supplement. Folic acid is very important for the development of the baby’s brain. |
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Keep a healthy weight |
Weight is another decisive factor for having a normal and smoothly-going pregnancy. Being underweight or overweight may cause complications during pregnancy and make delivery more difficult. |
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Maintain a healthy lifestyle |
If you want to conceive, you should quit smoking, heavy drinking and taking recreational drugs altogether. These habits are all associated with increased risk of miscarriage. |
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Have regular sex |
Having regular sex, at least three times a week, increases your chances of conceiving significantly. This way you don’t have to worry about timing things perfectly because you will more than likely have intercourse during at least one or two of your most fertile days. |
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Get help |
In case of previous miscarriages you will have to take extra care for future pregnancies. If you get pregnant again after multiple miscarriages, consult your midwife or family doctor to devise a plan for monitoring and helping you through you pregnancy. |
The following video can provide you with more healthy foods that you should eat in the course of preparing for pregnancy after d&c:
