Dilation and Curettage (D&C) (2024)

FAQs

Is a dilation and curettage D&C painful? ›

Is having a D&C painful? You may feel cramps similar to menstrual cramps after a D&C. Over-the-counter (OTC) pain medication like acetaminophen (Tylenol®) can relieve the cramps.

The type of anesthesia will depend on the specific procedure being performed. Some D&C procedures may be performed while you are asleep under general anesthesia, or while you are awake under spinal or epidural anesthesia. If spinal or epidural anesthesia is used, you will have no feeling from your waist down.

Recovering from a dilatation and curettage

You can get back to most normal activities in a couple of days. You might feel some cramping and discomfort after a D&C. You can control this with pain-relief medicines and a heat pack. You may have light vagin*l bleeding for 10 to 14 days.

Dilation and curettage (D&C) is a procedure to remove tissue from inside your uterus. Health care professionals perform dilation and curettage to diagnose and treat certain uterine conditions — such as heavy bleeding — or to clear the uterine lining after a miscarriage or abortion.

Complications of D and C

Serious complications are rare. These include damage to the uterus, cervix or other pelvic organs. All minor procedures are accompanied by some risk. Some women will experience a urinary tract infection.

Things to watch and call for:

If your abdominal pain starts getting worse. If you develop nausea or vomiting, or if you have trouble having a bowel movement. If you have trouble urinating, burning when you urinate, or feel the need to urinate very often.

Once you go home. After you have a D&C you should rest when you get home. You can go back to normal activities after 1 to 2 days (although the effects of the anaesthetic may make you feel tired). It is normal to experience some cramping or mild abdominal discomfort after a D&C.

You may feel groggy and weak for a short while. You may have a sore throat from the tube that was inserted into your windpipe to help you breathe. Pain after a D&C usually is mild.

You might have some mild cramping or spotting. Over-the-counter anti-inflammatories or pain medicines can help ease any mild symptoms you have. To prevent bacteria from entering your uterus, delay sex and use of tampons until your doctor says it's OK. Don't put anything into your vagin* after a D&C.

How many days off work after D&C? ›

Your Recovery

You are likely to have a backache, or cramps similar to menstrual cramps, and pass small clots of blood from your vagin* for the first few days. You may have light vagin*l bleeding for several weeks after the procedure. You will probably be able to go back to most of your normal activities in 1 or 2 days.

According to Marchand, weight gain after an abortion should not occur due to a physiological response from your body. But that doesn't mean it's an impossible outcome. For example, the emotional effects of having an abortion may affect your dietary choices, leading to some weight gain.

You may feel a pinch and a sting with the injection. Once your cervix is numb, you won't be in any pain when your doctor dilates your cervix. However, you may experience some cramping in your uterus when the doctor removes the lining with a curette. A local anesthetic is an option in your doctor's office or a clinic.

A D&C procedure may be done for different reasons, including to look for the cause of a problem, such as abnormal uterine bleeding; for treatment of a miscarriage or postpregnancy bleeding; or for first trimester abortion (pregnancy termination).

Dilatation and curettage: A D&C procedure opens the cervix and scrapes or suctions the uterine lining to obtain samples for biopsy or remove abnormal tissues causing heavy periods. Endometrial ablation: Specialized devices destroy the entire uterine lining to permanently stop excessive bleeding.

You'll probably be sedated or under anesthesia during the procedure, so you shouldn't feel any pain during your D&C. Most people will have only mild cramping or discomfort afterward. If your pain is getting worse, see your doctor right away.

Whether a D and C is painful depends on whether the person is awake during the procedure. Without sedation or anesthetic, it can be painful. Some feel little pain at all, while others feel considerable pain.

The first period after a miscarriage may be heavier, longer and more painful. That may be because your body didn't ovulate this cycle, causing the endometrial lining to become thicker and resulting in a heavier or longer period. Try not to stress: Your periods won't be this way forever.

Take ibuprofen (Motrin®, Advil®) or acetaminophen (Tylenol®) as directed for pain.