Before You Decide on a Miscarriage Treatment
Updated June 08, 2015.
If you have just been diagnosed with an early miscarriage, your doctor might ask you to make a choice regarding which miscarriage treatment you prefer (assuming there are no complications or other circumstances requiring immediate/emergency care). For first-trimester miscarriages, the options usually include D&C, natural miscarriage, or medically induced miscarriage. Here are some points to consider regarding each option.
D&C (Dilation and Curettage)
A D&C is a surgical procedure involving dilation of the cervix and vacuum aspiration or curettage of the remaining tissue from the pregnancy. Having a D&C is the fastest way to complete the miscarriage process, a reason why many women choose D&C after a confirmed miscarriage, but others prefer less invasive treatments.
Medical Management
Medical management of miscarriage means taking a medication to speed up the physical process of the miscarriage, making it a good alternative for women who want to avoid D&C but don't want to wait for the miscarriage to complete naturally. Research suggests that medical management is effective in more than 70% of cases.
Natural Miscarriage (No Intervention)
"Natural miscarriage" refers to waiting for completion of a miscarriage without medical or surgical intervention. For very early miscarriages, such as chemical pregnancies, natural miscarriage may be the recommended option.
In later miscarriages, some women may choose natural miscarriage out of a desire to avoid unnecessary interventions.
If you have just been diagnosed with an early miscarriage, your doctor might ask you to make a choice regarding which miscarriage treatment you prefer (assuming there are no complications or other circumstances requiring immediate/emergency care). For first-trimester miscarriages, the options usually include D&C, natural miscarriage, or medically induced miscarriage. Here are some points to consider regarding each option.
D&C (Dilation and Curettage)
A D&C is a surgical procedure involving dilation of the cervix and vacuum aspiration or curettage of the remaining tissue from the pregnancy. Having a D&C is the fastest way to complete the miscarriage process, a reason why many women choose D&C after a confirmed miscarriage, but others prefer less invasive treatments.
Medical Management
Medical management of miscarriage means taking a medication to speed up the physical process of the miscarriage, making it a good alternative for women who want to avoid D&C but don't want to wait for the miscarriage to complete naturally. Research suggests that medical management is effective in more than 70% of cases.
Natural Miscarriage (No Intervention)
"Natural miscarriage" refers to waiting for completion of a miscarriage without medical or surgical intervention. For very early miscarriages, such as chemical pregnancies, natural miscarriage may be the recommended option.
In later miscarriages, some women may choose natural miscarriage out of a desire to avoid unnecessary interventions.
