I was heartbroken when I found out that I?d had a missed miscarriage in 2017. Two weeks after hearing our baby?s heartbeat for the first time, I went in for the first-trimester screening and the ultrasound team told me they could no longer hear it. A few hours later, my midwife explained that this meant our baby had died.
I researched online and learned more about our options for next steps: Wait for a natural miscarriage, ask a doctor for a pill to induce one, or undergo a dilation and curettage (D&C) procedure, during which a doctor dilates the cervix and clears out any remaining tissue from the uterus.
I preferred to go the natural route, but when our midwives arranged for me and my husband to meet with an OB/GYN a week later, she recommended a D&C, which filled me with fear and discomfort on top of the pain of losing our baby. The doctor explained that a D&C was safer because my body hadn?t initiated the miscarriage process yet and, at 12 weeks along, there were more risks (such as increased blood loss) with choosing a natural miscarriage. The OB said she could perform the operation herself that very same day, so I had to decide quickly. While walking along the hospital halls, I weighed the risks and made the difficult decision to go ahead with the D&C. In the end, the hospital staff were extremely supportive every step of the way and it wasn?t as scary as I?d thought.
If you?ve been diagnosed with a missed or incomplete miscarriage, here?s what you need...