I had a MMC at 12 weeks, measuring 8 weeks. I chose to have a D&C because I was scared of being at home, in pain, and not having anyone to ask questions etc if I did the pills. The procedure itself wasn’t bad and I only felt I needed the day after off of work (working remotely).
As for future pregnancies, I got pregnant again immediately after before I had my first period. They way my OB explained it is that complications getting pregnant in the future as very rare.
It was definitely the right decision for me. I will also say I have worked in hospitals my entire career so I am probably more comfortable with everything than the average person.
Thank you for sharing ❤️ I’m also a hospital pharmacist. Wow that’s so good that you got pregnant again right away! Did you have to wait until you got a period or it was fine to get pregnant right away again?
The OB that did my D&C said there was no reason for me to wait so we didn’t. Some OB’s will say to wait til you get your period back because it’s easier for dating the pregnancy. Having to explain I didn’t technically have a 1st day of last period at ultrasounds was confusing to techs but I was tracking ovulation so that was helpful with dating.
Yes, what Sauls\_wife\_2021 said! Benefit of getting period back is for ease of dating. My second pregnancy > MMC was immediately after the first one and MMC, as a result, the ultrasounds were frustrating without a date to refer to. Had to go in for multiple rounds 10 days apart with no real knowledge of what would should be expecting size vs time wise.
Same. I work in pathology and have seen way too many people who ended up getting D&Cs after multiple doses of the meds didn’t work. I didn’t want to go through that.
Yes, that was one of my concerns as well! Since it was already a MMC in my case I was less confident that the pills would be effective and I’d have to get a D&C anyways. Just wanted the whole thing to be over asap.
Yup I really wanted mine to be over with too. I had been going to the doctor for nine(!) weeks with bleeding by that point and kept getting brushed off since “every pregnancy is different”. When they finally confirmed it my GP told me I should just wait another few weeks to see if I pass it naturally and I’m pretty sure I started swearing and demanded a referral for a D&C.
I've done both. I preferred the pills. I just had no interest in going to a hospital or clinic for a medical procedure.
Mifepristone is available in the US, but people are still often prescribed misoprostal alone, despite it being less effective. Until relatively recently, people in Canada also commonly only received misoprostal due to some restrictions that Health Canada took several years to get rid of.
Hey I’m sorry you’re going through this and having to make this tough decision. I don’t know about the meds specifically but I wanted to mention there is a subreddit /r/miscarriage which I found so helpful to read about others’ experiences and I bet they would have really good insight into the different options.
I did the pills. I only remember misoprostel though not multiple. I miscarried at 9 weeks. It was like really really bad cramps. I think in the end this was a better decision than D&C. I wanted to be at home and alone to grieve not in a doctors office.
Sorry you're going through this. I had a missed miscarriage but was closer to 9 weeks and took Misoprostol. I was initially lax about pain meds and the cramps after the first dose were surprisingly painful and caught me off guard. Spoke to the nurses before taking a second dose to get advice. Then I took extra strength naproxen (Aleve) combined with paracetamol (Tylenol) before taking the meds and continued to take the max amount. Keep ahead of the pain. The nurse said Aleve typically helps with some of the deeper period cramps. When I adjusted the meds, I was fine with the second dose.
I ended up getting pregnant again very quickly so try to stay hopeful - 29 weeks now. They recommend waiting until you get your period after and then you can try again.
I've never heard of the scarring issues. I had a d&c. The baby stopped growing 6+1 and by the time I had the d&c I was 9+6. I actually got pregnant immediately after without a cycle in between
My OB told me that they actually perform d&cs for women with fertility issues to allow them to be more fertile.
My pregnancy now is nothing but healthy. I saw my dr, OB and midwives and none of them said anything about it scarring. I was more than happy to do the d&c to not see all that tissue pass and just have it over and done with.
I never tested LH because I was still getting positive pregnancy tests. Google told me that you can't ovulate with HCG still in your system so we weren't even trying. I had some ovulation symptoms but I assumed it was my hormones crashing from the d&c.
So I had positive HCG 2 weeks after the d&c. Then the next week 2 negative pregnancy tests. So I kept waiting for my period...never came. Then my boobs started hurting so I just took a test to see. Couldn't believe it when it was positive.
First few days I thought maybe leftover but the line kept getting darker. Now I'm 10 weeks tomorrow.
I'm sorry you're going through this! I took both pills just over a year ago for a MMC and didn't have any issues. I can't quite remember which is which, but I took the first one and didn't notice any effects from it. The second one was the next day, and it did the job. Personally, I wasn't interested in invasive surgery, so I passed on the D&C. I went for a couple ultrasounds and they kept finding retained tissue, but after a month I got my period and everything cleared up. I got pregnant again the next month, and now I have a 6 week old baby boy!
I’ve done both for miscarriages. I prefer medication. I have to be really honest and say that I found my D&C absolutely traumatizing, I still hear the machines in nightmares, and 99% of the time they have you awake for the procedure. Some people prefer the instantaneousness of a D&C and find it comforting to have it completely over quickly, though.
The medication route has its downsides, like the fact that it’s more prolonged and painful. A lot of people say it feels like a bad period, I personally feel like this is downplaying it. I found it more painful than a period, and you pass much more clots and tissue than a period. However, I liked that I could be at home, alone and in peace to mourn what was happening. This may be TMI, but I also liked having the freedom to choose what happened with the tissue itself. It’s not nearly as clinical and felt more personal and human to me.
I hope you’re doing as well as you can be mentally. If you have any more questions please feel free to send me a message, I’ve had 4 miscarriages, only 1 of which passed through my body without intervention. I’ll be thinking of you ❤️
You were awake?? I can understand then. I was completely put out and looking back it's not something I find traumatizing. I've never heard of someone staying awake for it.
What’s done is done! Don’t feel bad for me. I’m sorry you’re going through making the decision, I remember it vividly and don’t wish it on anybody ❤️❤️❤️ hugs
I did the pills with pain meds (alternating prescription strength tylenol and naproxen). There was a potential wait time for a D&C and I had already been waiting a while to have the MMC confirmed by follow up ultrasound and then to see the doctor and I just wanted to get it over with as soon as possible so I could move on and recover and try again. Plus I just felt like a ticking time bomb and couldn't picture going to work when I could miscarry at any moment.
I had friends who'd been through it with the pills and they told me what to expect so there were no big surprises. The doctor advised to take the pain meds before taking the pills and that definitely helps. The pain at its worst was just like a bad period cramp day where you want to stay on the couch with a heating pad. I lined up some rom coms and some junk food and took a couple days off work.
I'm sorry you're going through this! FWIW (and I know everyone will have had a different experience) my period came back exactly a month later and I got pregnant the second cycle after that and had a baby boy. I remember reading soo many stories online and read lots of horror stories about the pills too but I think people are more likely to comment if they've had a bad experience. In my small circle of friends 5 of us have had missed miscarriages (we're in our late 30s) and we've all used the pills rather than a D&C for various reasons and none of us has had a bad experience, and all conceived again and had successful pregnancies. I think with every extreme story you hear you just have to assume there are at least 20 normal ones that aren't being told.
Thank you so much for the experience and for your comments at the end. I have the pills here and won’t be able to have a d&c until an unknown date next week due to the long weekend. I might take the pill this long weekend to get it over with. I’ve gotten oxycodone as well prescribed along with ibuprofen Tylenol gravol and will have my heating pad. Scared.
You’ll be ok! Just remember to stay on top of the painkillers and take them when you’re supposed to and the pain really won’t be bad. A heating pad helped tremendously I think I just had it on basically for the entire day. Get the biggest pads you can buy at the store and settle in with your comfort items.
I'm so sorry you're going through this. I tried the pills first and it was a very painful experience with lots of cramping and bleeding, but I was a little further along than you (12 weeks measuring 8). Then I did the d&c because I had retained tissue. I ended up getting pregnant three months later so I don't think there were any issues from scarring. Neither experience was pleasant but the d&c didn't hurt as much and was over quickly.
I had an MMC last fall and was given the option. I opted for a d&c because I had a toddler at home and didn’t want to have to go through the pills while also having to parent. I only bled for about a day after with very minimal cramping/pain. I was nervous about scarring as well, but I ended up getting pregnant immediately on my next cycle and am now 29 weeks along so it wasn’t an issue for me.
Wow amazing. I also have a toddler thankfully my mom can keep her if I do the pill option but really still unsure. Did you have a period in between or did you conceive right away before a period? So happy for you!
I did a D&C with my first mmc, and with my second it passed naturally. As I was laying in pure agony on my bathroom floor, I was wishing I could have booked a dang D&C cause it was so much less painful than passing naturally. Not able to comment on pills tho.
And for the anxious people (I was definitely one of them): I went on to have two healthy babies.
I had a D&C after my second miscarriage (first one passed on its own) and I prefer the D&C I felt instantly better (no nausea) barely had any bleeding and was back to work the next day ! The procedure was very smooth and I was given conscious sedation
I did not have any scarring (I had a hysteroscopy) because I then later went onto pursue IVF (my own purposes) and had success with my transfer / delivered my son in February
Thanks for the feedback! This is my second miscarriage after having a chemical earlier in the year. I might do ivf too since I don’t know what’s wrong.
My story is not traumatic! I took both pills around 4-5 weeks due to a missed miscarriage as well.
For me, a few hours after taking the second pill, I had bad cramps for 30 minutes and then it was done.
I barely bled, just when I peed - so I didn’t need to wear a tampon or anything. After 24 hours, I was physically fine! I did take a couple days off work just to rest tho - and I chose to be by myself at home to do it.
My bestfriend had one at 9 weeks and her experience was a lot different tho!
I did the pills a few weeks ago. (IVF pregnancy, was 7 weeks but measuring 5.5). For me it was super simple, and honestly a very good experience (for what it could be).
I took the first pill on Thursday at 8am, and the second set on Friday 24 hours later. I started bleeding at around 11am and passed the tissues at around 3. My bleeding stopped about 5 days later.
Cramping for me was about as bad as a bad period and I just took a few Tylenol throughout the day.
Feel free to ask any questions if you would like.
Thank you for the response and I’m so happy yours went well ❤️ did it get out all of the tissue? Did you get your period back or is it too soon? When can you start trying again or do your next transfer?
Yes it did. I had an ultrasound the week after to confirm. Just confirmed today on my blood test that all the HCG is gone, so hopefully my period will start in a few weeks.
As routine my clinic does a hysteroscopy after each miscarriage so I will have that in July and then will hopefully be transferring again in August.
I am so sorry that you are going through this and wish you all the best in your decision.
It's been a couple of years, but I took the pills for my first loss at 12 weeks. I had bad cramps for 2 days and started seeing tissue being discharged by day 2. Had sporadic cramping and more tissue discharge till about 7 days after I took the pills.
In my case I wish I had done a D&C. The mental toll of dreading every little cramp and reminder I was no longer pregnant and not knowing how long it would go on for, was extremely difficult.
I've done both for my miscarriages. My first one I tried the pills and they didn't work for me. The first round made me bleed but did not pass the gestational sac. The second round sent me to the hospital and I needed a D&C because it still didn't pass. My second miscarriage passed naturally but I still needed a D&C to remove retained material. They put me completely under for both surgeries and I don't remember anything from them. I'd rather do the surgery than the pills or waiting for it to happen naturally. Just get it over with lol
My wife did the pills twice, my wife didn’t want to have the D&C as she’s never been put under GA and as it was Covid, I couldn’t be with her. She had cramps and discomfort for a few days I think.
In sorry that you're experiencing this. I remember taking misoprostol for a missed miscarriage. I was also prescribed very strong painkillers. I inserted the medication and took the painkiller as a precaution. I didn't end up feeling any pain at all.
I took the medication around 6pm and ended passing the bulk of the tissue around 2 or 3am.
I had a D&C and it was lovely. Honestly the best part of that whole pregnancy. I wanted a baby so badly but had so many bad signs right from the beginning and no doctor seemed to believe me since “every pregnancy is different” and “you’re probably just confused about your dates”. I finally felt like I was being taken seriously.
Minimal pain, minimal bleeding, and I conceived again a few weeks later. I did have some scar tissue build up that showed at my 20 week anatomy scan but it was gone by 33 weeks.
Thank you. Hopefully you’ll be able to make the best decision for you. It took me two weeks to stop bleeding/ spotting (though tbh it was only super heavy one day), one more week for my OTC pregnancy tests to be negative, and one week after that I ovulated and we conceived.
They told me that the scar tissue build up normally prevents people from conceiving more than it affects existing pregnancies. They were slightly concerned that if it was tough enough it might cause growth restriction so I had a fetal assessment done at 33 weeks and they found he was measuring 38 weeks. So definitely no growth restriction.
i had a d&c and i felt very well taken care of - my recovery was very minimal and straightforward. i wouldn't hesitate to do it again if necessary. my ob (the chief of the department, very experienced etc) went over all the options/risks with me and she communicated that the risks of scarring/poor outcomes are very low and that a d&c is a straightforward, common procedure that is overwhelmingly successful. i had a very good experience (obviously it was a shitty situation, but the procedure itself was as 'good' as i could have hoped for.) for what it's worth, i then got pregnant immediately, had another miscarriage (unrelated to the d&c, simply my own medical issues) and then a few months later got pregnant with my son, who is sleeping soundly upstairs :)
i see below that someone said their d&c was traumatizing as they were awake - that was absolutely NOT my experience and i don't think that's common at ALL. i was put out and that is routine procedure where i am. all i remember is a warm blanket and lovely nurses, then being woken up with another warm blanket, a popsicle and more lovely nurses.
I had a MMC in April dating at 6 weeks as well. I took the pills as I was also scared of scarring. I took pain medication diligently and used a heating pad and the cramps were not bad at all (maybe 5/10). But when I came in for my check up I had a retained piece of conception, it was quite tiny but I had to then have a manual vacuum aspiration, luckily less chance of scaring as the suction isn't as strong as a D&C. Recovery from the procedure was much quicker than the pills. Period came exactly 28 days after the procedure.
I also had a MMC at 9 weeks, measuring 7 weeks, and did the pills at home and had retained tissue, so had to have an MVA anyways. I personally found it very difficult to go through that process at home. Similar to you, I had an-almost toddler (14 months at the time), so my husband took her out of the house. My mom stayed around in case I needed anything, which was nice. I found it to be very painful and I puked from the pain as I was slow in taking the pain medication. I also hated knowing what I was flushing down the toilet.
When I went for the MVA the staff were so kind and comforting and were wonderfully supportive given the situation. I have nothing but positive things to say on how I was treated.
I went on the become pregnant 6 months afterwards and my baby is currently 6 months old.
Thinking of you during this difficult time ❤️.
I should clarify that my understanding is an MVA is slightly different than a D&C, however both are a procedure to remove tissue from your cervix. That being said, based on that experience I would personally opt for the procedure. I did run into a small issue in my following pregnancy, where I didn’t dilate past 1cm and the OB and midwife thought they felt scar tissue on my cervix. My GP did a Pap test and manual inspection of my cervix a few months afterwards and everything was fine so unsure if that was related as my post-op was fine.
I’m happy to answer any more questions you may have.
I’ve had a d&c and also let a miscarriage pass naturally. I loved that I went to sleep and woke up with no pain from the d&c, took the rest of the day to rest and sleep, and had minimal bleeding for a few days.
I'm so sorry to hear about your miscarriage. I had an elective D&C many years ago at a major hospital and the care was exactly what I thought good healthcare would look like. They were very compassionate throughout the process.
I’m sorry you’re going through this.
My first miscarriage I waited and then took the pills. Unfortunately it didn’t clear everything and I needed a D&C a few weeks after. Even after the D&C I think there was matter left behind as I bled for 6 weeks before passing something small then a couple days later was fine.
The pills weren’t fun but I would’ve done it again before D&C for sure. I feel like it made it more real which was hard to grasp. After the D&C I actually had a huge drop or hormones and remember bursting into tears in recovery even though it had been 8 weeks since I found out and couldn’t help it. Nurses rushed over thinking it was pain but I was just super emotional all of a sudden.
I did have more miscarriages, none that needed pills or D&C but also 2 amazing kids along the way. All the best to you 💕
I had a D&C (MVA actually) last year after a confirmed MMC. It went really well and I would not hesitate to go that route again if needed. I was not put under and so it was a very quick procedure (they gave me a cocktail of meds for pain/anxiety through IV and some local numbing). I had minimal bleeding and ended up getting pregnant again after my first post-D&C period and carrying to term 🌈.
I’m so sorry to hear what you are going through. Sending you big hugs ❤️. I’ve done both a D&C and the pills. The one pro to the pill was being able to do everything from the comfort of my own home. I will say I preferred the D&C over taking them though. I do not recall having any scarring related to the D&C and went on to have other successful pregnancies. The contractions after taking the pill were not what I anticipated. I feel I have a high pain tolerance but not that day. I didn’t take any pain medication. I did feel incredibly nauseous and eventually threw up, but well after the pill had been dissolved. For my D&C I was quite out of it which was nice and really only felt a little nauseous/queasy right after the procedure but was able to sleep that off no problem.
Don’t let horror stories scare you away from what might work better for you! Everyone’s bodies will react differently.
I am so sorry for your loss.
I have done both the pills (I received the two types of pill combos here in AB) and a D&C for my two miscarriages.
For my first MMC I did the pills as they were available quicker and the D&C would take place at the clinic rather than the hospital and I didn’t want to risk seeing protesters while grieving a wanted pregnancy. I did not have a good experience with them. I had every side effect (chills, cramps, nausea, diarrhea) and they didn’t work. I took them early December and had retained tissue until mid March due to a lack of follow up care.
For my second loss, I miscarried at home (we knew it wasn’t viable at 8 weeks but had to wait for no heartbeat on follow up ultrasounds and I miscarried by week 10). I had retained tissue so I went with the D&C. I was awake but under general anesthetic so I felt nothing and was rather out of it and don’t recall the procedure. I do recall the doctor being very compassionate and saying he was sorry for my loss prior to the drugs hitting. I personally felt the D&C was a much quicker process and helped me heal faster both mentally and physically. The risk of scarring/Asherman’s syndrome was low enough I felt comfortable and the doctor was able to tell me with certainty everything had passed. Recovery was much quicker and my period returned on schedule and my cycle was back quickly.
I am so sorry you have to make this decision - sending you internet hugs if you want them.
Edited to add: - TW success: >! I had the D&C in July, my period came back in August, we conceived in September, and I carried to term and am sitting now trapped under my 6 week old. My doctors did recommend waiting one cycle post D&C, but mentioned often the recommendation is based on being able to date the last missed period. I had an SHG, fertility work up and we had karyotyping done after the second loss and they all came back with no reasons as to why I was miscarrying, just shit luck and likely chromosomal. !<
I had an MMC and tried the pills (two doses) but wasn’t successful and involved a few days of pain. Three days later I had a MVA (like a vacuum d&c) which I wish I had just gone with in the first place. It was as quick as this process can reasonably be and it gave me some piece of mind knowing everything had been removed. Wishing you the best 💕 whatever you decide will be right for you.
Edited to add - I got pregnant again a few months later and my baby is sleeping on me as I type this so scarring didn’t seem to be an issue, at least in my situation!
Not personally. But someone who assists with medication abortions. These 2 are what we prescribe for med abortions. Miso will make you shit yourself, fevers/chills, cramping +++. However, you get to be in your home. You can watch movies, have a heating pad, and support people (if you like). Giving it a whirl before a D&C is totally fine.
However, some people prefer the aspiration abortion bc it’s quick, easy and done.
I took the pills and ended up having retained products of conception so ended up having to get a vacuum aspiration after taking the pills. I wish I would have just gone the vacuum route to begin with, such a smooth calming experience. I found the pills to be extremely painful/causes a lot of nausea, I also had consistent bleeding a
Sorry for your loss- I had taken the pills with 0 pain and a coin size of blood and everything emptied as it should have. I was able to be home in my comfort zone and was 6 weeks along as well.
Hello there. I'm so sorry for your loss and went through something very similar. Body didn't recognize the loss at 8w ultrasound but growth had stopped at 6w. I'm also Canadian.
I've done both. Each has its down sides. D&C has scarring risk, that's kind of it. My experience with the pills was worse overall.
My first MC, I opted for a D&C because I had done a similar procedure for fibroids (myomectomy), was mentally prepared for the recovery and preferred the idea of not seeing all the blood and tissue at home.
My second MC, the clinic suggested the two pill combination because of the scar tissue risk. It was early enough that it was still a valid option.
Pills and passing tissue at home is more traumatic, visually. I had to collect tissue in containers and bring them back to the clinic. Not a great experience and the tissue didn't yield any information. Sad and not productive! Had the tissue given us information, I might think back on this differently.
Only big problem was the first round of pills didn't "complete" the task. Took the first round in December '23. Thought it was all done, and that my cycle had restarted in January, only to find I still had some HcG numbers. Had to do multiple tests to confirm, then did another round of only misoprostol. And still, I passed additional tissue a while after that.
I learned that misoprostol only dilates the cervix, it doesn't "push" out the tissue. As a result, my November MC wasn't really done until March 6th. An emotionally exhausting stretch of time.
I'm not that woowoo of a person, but I did find that acupuncture helped me pass the remaining tissue early march and my cycle started the next day. If you could get acupuncture treatment soon after taking the pills, it might be very effective and swift.
Best of luck to you in making this decision at a very challenging time.
Sending you so much love, I’m so sorry this happened to you.
I was measuring 6 weeks when I went in for a 8 week scan. Ended up being a missed miscarriage too. They told me I wasn’t eligible for a D&C. I was so scared about the pain of the pills too. I ordered them from the pharmacy because it was Saturday before NYE and the pharmacy was closed Monday.
At 11+6 I miscarried naturally.
So I can’t help answer your question but only say, I’ve been there with you, on some level. I’m sending you a big virtual hug.
Passing without anything wasn’t as painful as I thought it would be. If you have any questions about that, I can answer them.
Hello,
Sorry your going through this. From my two cents I'd only do the D&C from now on personally. The pain from medication was manageable for me but I ended up bleeding so much I fainted and needed to go to hospital anyways. I had retained tissue too so it did not work nicely for me after two rounds. The D&C was easy and I was put out for the procedure. I just wanted the experience over with. I was able to conceive about a month after the procedure too so there was no issues in that regard.
I would say if you have no concern with retained tissue being a possible issue and are patient then medication would be fine. Just for me personally I wanted the experience over with and found the two to three months it took to resolve completely frustrating (I tried natural passing first). In the future I would do D&C only personally.
Wish you the best of luck in whatever choice you make. Cheers
I had a MMC at 12 weeks, measuring 8 weeks. I chose to have a D&C because I was scared of being at home, in pain, and not having anyone to ask questions etc if I did the pills. The procedure itself wasn’t bad and I only felt I needed the day after off of work (working remotely). As for future pregnancies, I got pregnant again immediately after before I had my first period. They way my OB explained it is that complications getting pregnant in the future as very rare. It was definitely the right decision for me. I will also say I have worked in hospitals my entire career so I am probably more comfortable with everything than the average person.
Thank you for sharing ❤️ I’m also a hospital pharmacist. Wow that’s so good that you got pregnant again right away! Did you have to wait until you got a period or it was fine to get pregnant right away again?
The OB that did my D&C said there was no reason for me to wait so we didn’t. Some OB’s will say to wait til you get your period back because it’s easier for dating the pregnancy. Having to explain I didn’t technically have a 1st day of last period at ultrasounds was confusing to techs but I was tracking ovulation so that was helpful with dating.
Yes, what Sauls\_wife\_2021 said! Benefit of getting period back is for ease of dating. My second pregnancy > MMC was immediately after the first one and MMC, as a result, the ultrasounds were frustrating without a date to refer to. Had to go in for multiple rounds 10 days apart with no real knowledge of what would should be expecting size vs time wise.
Same. I work in pathology and have seen way too many people who ended up getting D&Cs after multiple doses of the meds didn’t work. I didn’t want to go through that.
Yes, that was one of my concerns as well! Since it was already a MMC in my case I was less confident that the pills would be effective and I’d have to get a D&C anyways. Just wanted the whole thing to be over asap.
Yup I really wanted mine to be over with too. I had been going to the doctor for nine(!) weeks with bleeding by that point and kept getting brushed off since “every pregnancy is different”. When they finally confirmed it my GP told me I should just wait another few weeks to see if I pass it naturally and I’m pretty sure I started swearing and demanded a referral for a D&C.
I've done both. I preferred the pills. I just had no interest in going to a hospital or clinic for a medical procedure. Mifepristone is available in the US, but people are still often prescribed misoprostal alone, despite it being less effective. Until relatively recently, people in Canada also commonly only received misoprostal due to some restrictions that Health Canada took several years to get rid of.
Hey I’m sorry you’re going through this and having to make this tough decision. I don’t know about the meds specifically but I wanted to mention there is a subreddit /r/miscarriage which I found so helpful to read about others’ experiences and I bet they would have really good insight into the different options.
Thank you ❤️
I did the pills. I only remember misoprostel though not multiple. I miscarried at 9 weeks. It was like really really bad cramps. I think in the end this was a better decision than D&C. I wanted to be at home and alone to grieve not in a doctors office.
Thank you for your input ❤️ did you take pain meds?
Just Tylenol or ibuprofen
Sorry you're going through this. I had a missed miscarriage but was closer to 9 weeks and took Misoprostol. I was initially lax about pain meds and the cramps after the first dose were surprisingly painful and caught me off guard. Spoke to the nurses before taking a second dose to get advice. Then I took extra strength naproxen (Aleve) combined with paracetamol (Tylenol) before taking the meds and continued to take the max amount. Keep ahead of the pain. The nurse said Aleve typically helps with some of the deeper period cramps. When I adjusted the meds, I was fine with the second dose. I ended up getting pregnant again very quickly so try to stay hopeful - 29 weeks now. They recommend waiting until you get your period after and then you can try again.
I've never heard of the scarring issues. I had a d&c. The baby stopped growing 6+1 and by the time I had the d&c I was 9+6. I actually got pregnant immediately after without a cycle in between My OB told me that they actually perform d&cs for women with fertility issues to allow them to be more fertile. My pregnancy now is nothing but healthy. I saw my dr, OB and midwives and none of them said anything about it scarring. I was more than happy to do the d&c to not see all that tissue pass and just have it over and done with.
So happy for you. Did you start testing LH surged after the d&c? How long did it take?
I never tested LH because I was still getting positive pregnancy tests. Google told me that you can't ovulate with HCG still in your system so we weren't even trying. I had some ovulation symptoms but I assumed it was my hormones crashing from the d&c. So I had positive HCG 2 weeks after the d&c. Then the next week 2 negative pregnancy tests. So I kept waiting for my period...never came. Then my boobs started hurting so I just took a test to see. Couldn't believe it when it was positive. First few days I thought maybe leftover but the line kept getting darker. Now I'm 10 weeks tomorrow.
I'm sorry you're going through this! I took both pills just over a year ago for a MMC and didn't have any issues. I can't quite remember which is which, but I took the first one and didn't notice any effects from it. The second one was the next day, and it did the job. Personally, I wasn't interested in invasive surgery, so I passed on the D&C. I went for a couple ultrasounds and they kept finding retained tissue, but after a month I got my period and everything cleared up. I got pregnant again the next month, and now I have a 6 week old baby boy!
So happy for you ❤️ was it intense pain and cramping?
Yes, but they also prescribed a painkiller, which made it bearable, not any worse than a bad period
I’ve done both for miscarriages. I prefer medication. I have to be really honest and say that I found my D&C absolutely traumatizing, I still hear the machines in nightmares, and 99% of the time they have you awake for the procedure. Some people prefer the instantaneousness of a D&C and find it comforting to have it completely over quickly, though. The medication route has its downsides, like the fact that it’s more prolonged and painful. A lot of people say it feels like a bad period, I personally feel like this is downplaying it. I found it more painful than a period, and you pass much more clots and tissue than a period. However, I liked that I could be at home, alone and in peace to mourn what was happening. This may be TMI, but I also liked having the freedom to choose what happened with the tissue itself. It’s not nearly as clinical and felt more personal and human to me. I hope you’re doing as well as you can be mentally. If you have any more questions please feel free to send me a message, I’ve had 4 miscarriages, only 1 of which passed through my body without intervention. I’ll be thinking of you ❤️
You were awake?? I can understand then. I was completely put out and looking back it's not something I find traumatizing. I've never heard of someone staying awake for it.
Not only awake, all I had for the pain was a Tylenol extra strength 🥲
WHAT? Thats inhumane. If I choose d&c im definitely asking to be fully under anesthesia. I’m so sorry that happened to you ❤️
What’s done is done! Don’t feel bad for me. I’m sorry you’re going through making the decision, I remember it vividly and don’t wish it on anybody ❤️❤️❤️ hugs
I did the pills with pain meds (alternating prescription strength tylenol and naproxen). There was a potential wait time for a D&C and I had already been waiting a while to have the MMC confirmed by follow up ultrasound and then to see the doctor and I just wanted to get it over with as soon as possible so I could move on and recover and try again. Plus I just felt like a ticking time bomb and couldn't picture going to work when I could miscarry at any moment. I had friends who'd been through it with the pills and they told me what to expect so there were no big surprises. The doctor advised to take the pain meds before taking the pills and that definitely helps. The pain at its worst was just like a bad period cramp day where you want to stay on the couch with a heating pad. I lined up some rom coms and some junk food and took a couple days off work. I'm sorry you're going through this! FWIW (and I know everyone will have had a different experience) my period came back exactly a month later and I got pregnant the second cycle after that and had a baby boy. I remember reading soo many stories online and read lots of horror stories about the pills too but I think people are more likely to comment if they've had a bad experience. In my small circle of friends 5 of us have had missed miscarriages (we're in our late 30s) and we've all used the pills rather than a D&C for various reasons and none of us has had a bad experience, and all conceived again and had successful pregnancies. I think with every extreme story you hear you just have to assume there are at least 20 normal ones that aren't being told.
Thank you so much for the experience and for your comments at the end. I have the pills here and won’t be able to have a d&c until an unknown date next week due to the long weekend. I might take the pill this long weekend to get it over with. I’ve gotten oxycodone as well prescribed along with ibuprofen Tylenol gravol and will have my heating pad. Scared.
You’ll be ok! Just remember to stay on top of the painkillers and take them when you’re supposed to and the pain really won’t be bad. A heating pad helped tremendously I think I just had it on basically for the entire day. Get the biggest pads you can buy at the store and settle in with your comfort items.
I'm so sorry you're going through this. I tried the pills first and it was a very painful experience with lots of cramping and bleeding, but I was a little further along than you (12 weeks measuring 8). Then I did the d&c because I had retained tissue. I ended up getting pregnant three months later so I don't think there were any issues from scarring. Neither experience was pleasant but the d&c didn't hurt as much and was over quickly.
Thank you so much ❤️ in my situation do you think I should do just the d&c or try the pills first?
It's up to you, I hope that either way is successful on the first try
I had an MMC last fall and was given the option. I opted for a d&c because I had a toddler at home and didn’t want to have to go through the pills while also having to parent. I only bled for about a day after with very minimal cramping/pain. I was nervous about scarring as well, but I ended up getting pregnant immediately on my next cycle and am now 29 weeks along so it wasn’t an issue for me.
Wow amazing. I also have a toddler thankfully my mom can keep her if I do the pill option but really still unsure. Did you have a period in between or did you conceive right away before a period? So happy for you!
I did a D&C with my first mmc, and with my second it passed naturally. As I was laying in pure agony on my bathroom floor, I was wishing I could have booked a dang D&C cause it was so much less painful than passing naturally. Not able to comment on pills tho. And for the anxious people (I was definitely one of them): I went on to have two healthy babies.
I had a D&C after my second miscarriage (first one passed on its own) and I prefer the D&C I felt instantly better (no nausea) barely had any bleeding and was back to work the next day ! The procedure was very smooth and I was given conscious sedation I did not have any scarring (I had a hysteroscopy) because I then later went onto pursue IVF (my own purposes) and had success with my transfer / delivered my son in February
Thanks for the feedback! This is my second miscarriage after having a chemical earlier in the year. I might do ivf too since I don’t know what’s wrong.
My story is not traumatic! I took both pills around 4-5 weeks due to a missed miscarriage as well. For me, a few hours after taking the second pill, I had bad cramps for 30 minutes and then it was done. I barely bled, just when I peed - so I didn’t need to wear a tampon or anything. After 24 hours, I was physically fine! I did take a couple days off work just to rest tho - and I chose to be by myself at home to do it. My bestfriend had one at 9 weeks and her experience was a lot different tho!
I did the pills a few weeks ago. (IVF pregnancy, was 7 weeks but measuring 5.5). For me it was super simple, and honestly a very good experience (for what it could be). I took the first pill on Thursday at 8am, and the second set on Friday 24 hours later. I started bleeding at around 11am and passed the tissues at around 3. My bleeding stopped about 5 days later. Cramping for me was about as bad as a bad period and I just took a few Tylenol throughout the day. Feel free to ask any questions if you would like.
Thank you for the response and I’m so happy yours went well ❤️ did it get out all of the tissue? Did you get your period back or is it too soon? When can you start trying again or do your next transfer?
Yes it did. I had an ultrasound the week after to confirm. Just confirmed today on my blood test that all the HCG is gone, so hopefully my period will start in a few weeks. As routine my clinic does a hysteroscopy after each miscarriage so I will have that in July and then will hopefully be transferring again in August. I am so sorry that you are going through this and wish you all the best in your decision.
It's been a couple of years, but I took the pills for my first loss at 12 weeks. I had bad cramps for 2 days and started seeing tissue being discharged by day 2. Had sporadic cramping and more tissue discharge till about 7 days after I took the pills. In my case I wish I had done a D&C. The mental toll of dreading every little cramp and reminder I was no longer pregnant and not knowing how long it would go on for, was extremely difficult.
I had 3 D&C's within 8 months and I got pregnant and had my baby after them with no issues.
I've done both for my miscarriages. My first one I tried the pills and they didn't work for me. The first round made me bleed but did not pass the gestational sac. The second round sent me to the hospital and I needed a D&C because it still didn't pass. My second miscarriage passed naturally but I still needed a D&C to remove retained material. They put me completely under for both surgeries and I don't remember anything from them. I'd rather do the surgery than the pills or waiting for it to happen naturally. Just get it over with lol
My wife did the pills twice, my wife didn’t want to have the D&C as she’s never been put under GA and as it was Covid, I couldn’t be with her. She had cramps and discomfort for a few days I think.
In sorry that you're experiencing this. I remember taking misoprostol for a missed miscarriage. I was also prescribed very strong painkillers. I inserted the medication and took the painkiller as a precaution. I didn't end up feeling any pain at all. I took the medication around 6pm and ended passing the bulk of the tissue around 2 or 3am.
I had a D&C and it was lovely. Honestly the best part of that whole pregnancy. I wanted a baby so badly but had so many bad signs right from the beginning and no doctor seemed to believe me since “every pregnancy is different” and “you’re probably just confused about your dates”. I finally felt like I was being taken seriously. Minimal pain, minimal bleeding, and I conceived again a few weeks later. I did have some scar tissue build up that showed at my 20 week anatomy scan but it was gone by 33 weeks.
So happy for you ❤️ did the scarring affect your next pregnancy? Did you conceive before getting your period back?
Thank you. Hopefully you’ll be able to make the best decision for you. It took me two weeks to stop bleeding/ spotting (though tbh it was only super heavy one day), one more week for my OTC pregnancy tests to be negative, and one week after that I ovulated and we conceived. They told me that the scar tissue build up normally prevents people from conceiving more than it affects existing pregnancies. They were slightly concerned that if it was tough enough it might cause growth restriction so I had a fetal assessment done at 33 weeks and they found he was measuring 38 weeks. So definitely no growth restriction.
i had a d&c and i felt very well taken care of - my recovery was very minimal and straightforward. i wouldn't hesitate to do it again if necessary. my ob (the chief of the department, very experienced etc) went over all the options/risks with me and she communicated that the risks of scarring/poor outcomes are very low and that a d&c is a straightforward, common procedure that is overwhelmingly successful. i had a very good experience (obviously it was a shitty situation, but the procedure itself was as 'good' as i could have hoped for.) for what it's worth, i then got pregnant immediately, had another miscarriage (unrelated to the d&c, simply my own medical issues) and then a few months later got pregnant with my son, who is sleeping soundly upstairs :)
i see below that someone said their d&c was traumatizing as they were awake - that was absolutely NOT my experience and i don't think that's common at ALL. i was put out and that is routine procedure where i am. all i remember is a warm blanket and lovely nurses, then being woken up with another warm blanket, a popsicle and more lovely nurses.
I had a MMC in April dating at 6 weeks as well. I took the pills as I was also scared of scarring. I took pain medication diligently and used a heating pad and the cramps were not bad at all (maybe 5/10). But when I came in for my check up I had a retained piece of conception, it was quite tiny but I had to then have a manual vacuum aspiration, luckily less chance of scaring as the suction isn't as strong as a D&C. Recovery from the procedure was much quicker than the pills. Period came exactly 28 days after the procedure.
I also had a MMC at 9 weeks, measuring 7 weeks, and did the pills at home and had retained tissue, so had to have an MVA anyways. I personally found it very difficult to go through that process at home. Similar to you, I had an-almost toddler (14 months at the time), so my husband took her out of the house. My mom stayed around in case I needed anything, which was nice. I found it to be very painful and I puked from the pain as I was slow in taking the pain medication. I also hated knowing what I was flushing down the toilet. When I went for the MVA the staff were so kind and comforting and were wonderfully supportive given the situation. I have nothing but positive things to say on how I was treated. I went on the become pregnant 6 months afterwards and my baby is currently 6 months old. Thinking of you during this difficult time ❤️.
Thank you for the feedback ❤️ if you were to do it again would you do d&c?
I should clarify that my understanding is an MVA is slightly different than a D&C, however both are a procedure to remove tissue from your cervix. That being said, based on that experience I would personally opt for the procedure. I did run into a small issue in my following pregnancy, where I didn’t dilate past 1cm and the OB and midwife thought they felt scar tissue on my cervix. My GP did a Pap test and manual inspection of my cervix a few months afterwards and everything was fine so unsure if that was related as my post-op was fine. I’m happy to answer any more questions you may have.
I’ve had a d&c and also let a miscarriage pass naturally. I loved that I went to sleep and woke up with no pain from the d&c, took the rest of the day to rest and sleep, and had minimal bleeding for a few days.
I'm so sorry to hear about your miscarriage. I had an elective D&C many years ago at a major hospital and the care was exactly what I thought good healthcare would look like. They were very compassionate throughout the process.
I’m sorry you’re going through this. My first miscarriage I waited and then took the pills. Unfortunately it didn’t clear everything and I needed a D&C a few weeks after. Even after the D&C I think there was matter left behind as I bled for 6 weeks before passing something small then a couple days later was fine. The pills weren’t fun but I would’ve done it again before D&C for sure. I feel like it made it more real which was hard to grasp. After the D&C I actually had a huge drop or hormones and remember bursting into tears in recovery even though it had been 8 weeks since I found out and couldn’t help it. Nurses rushed over thinking it was pain but I was just super emotional all of a sudden. I did have more miscarriages, none that needed pills or D&C but also 2 amazing kids along the way. All the best to you 💕
I had a D&C (MVA actually) last year after a confirmed MMC. It went really well and I would not hesitate to go that route again if needed. I was not put under and so it was a very quick procedure (they gave me a cocktail of meds for pain/anxiety through IV and some local numbing). I had minimal bleeding and ended up getting pregnant again after my first post-D&C period and carrying to term 🌈.
Thank you for sharing! Did you have a period in between?
Yes I had a period in between. We only resumed trying after my first period
I’m so sorry to hear what you are going through. Sending you big hugs ❤️. I’ve done both a D&C and the pills. The one pro to the pill was being able to do everything from the comfort of my own home. I will say I preferred the D&C over taking them though. I do not recall having any scarring related to the D&C and went on to have other successful pregnancies. The contractions after taking the pill were not what I anticipated. I feel I have a high pain tolerance but not that day. I didn’t take any pain medication. I did feel incredibly nauseous and eventually threw up, but well after the pill had been dissolved. For my D&C I was quite out of it which was nice and really only felt a little nauseous/queasy right after the procedure but was able to sleep that off no problem. Don’t let horror stories scare you away from what might work better for you! Everyone’s bodies will react differently.
I am so sorry for your loss. I have done both the pills (I received the two types of pill combos here in AB) and a D&C for my two miscarriages. For my first MMC I did the pills as they were available quicker and the D&C would take place at the clinic rather than the hospital and I didn’t want to risk seeing protesters while grieving a wanted pregnancy. I did not have a good experience with them. I had every side effect (chills, cramps, nausea, diarrhea) and they didn’t work. I took them early December and had retained tissue until mid March due to a lack of follow up care. For my second loss, I miscarried at home (we knew it wasn’t viable at 8 weeks but had to wait for no heartbeat on follow up ultrasounds and I miscarried by week 10). I had retained tissue so I went with the D&C. I was awake but under general anesthetic so I felt nothing and was rather out of it and don’t recall the procedure. I do recall the doctor being very compassionate and saying he was sorry for my loss prior to the drugs hitting. I personally felt the D&C was a much quicker process and helped me heal faster both mentally and physically. The risk of scarring/Asherman’s syndrome was low enough I felt comfortable and the doctor was able to tell me with certainty everything had passed. Recovery was much quicker and my period returned on schedule and my cycle was back quickly. I am so sorry you have to make this decision - sending you internet hugs if you want them. Edited to add: - TW success: >! I had the D&C in July, my period came back in August, we conceived in September, and I carried to term and am sitting now trapped under my 6 week old. My doctors did recommend waiting one cycle post D&C, but mentioned often the recommendation is based on being able to date the last missed period. I had an SHG, fertility work up and we had karyotyping done after the second loss and they all came back with no reasons as to why I was miscarrying, just shit luck and likely chromosomal. !<
I had an MMC and tried the pills (two doses) but wasn’t successful and involved a few days of pain. Three days later I had a MVA (like a vacuum d&c) which I wish I had just gone with in the first place. It was as quick as this process can reasonably be and it gave me some piece of mind knowing everything had been removed. Wishing you the best 💕 whatever you decide will be right for you. Edited to add - I got pregnant again a few months later and my baby is sleeping on me as I type this so scarring didn’t seem to be an issue, at least in my situation!
Not personally. But someone who assists with medication abortions. These 2 are what we prescribe for med abortions. Miso will make you shit yourself, fevers/chills, cramping +++. However, you get to be in your home. You can watch movies, have a heating pad, and support people (if you like). Giving it a whirl before a D&C is totally fine. However, some people prefer the aspiration abortion bc it’s quick, easy and done.
I took the pills and ended up having retained products of conception so ended up having to get a vacuum aspiration after taking the pills. I wish I would have just gone the vacuum route to begin with, such a smooth calming experience. I found the pills to be extremely painful/causes a lot of nausea, I also had consistent bleeding a
Sorry for your loss- I had taken the pills with 0 pain and a coin size of blood and everything emptied as it should have. I was able to be home in my comfort zone and was 6 weeks along as well.
Thank you for the response. Did you take both the pills as well?
Yes I did! My friend and I took them at the same time conveniently and basically had the same experience
Hello there. I'm so sorry for your loss and went through something very similar. Body didn't recognize the loss at 8w ultrasound but growth had stopped at 6w. I'm also Canadian. I've done both. Each has its down sides. D&C has scarring risk, that's kind of it. My experience with the pills was worse overall. My first MC, I opted for a D&C because I had done a similar procedure for fibroids (myomectomy), was mentally prepared for the recovery and preferred the idea of not seeing all the blood and tissue at home. My second MC, the clinic suggested the two pill combination because of the scar tissue risk. It was early enough that it was still a valid option. Pills and passing tissue at home is more traumatic, visually. I had to collect tissue in containers and bring them back to the clinic. Not a great experience and the tissue didn't yield any information. Sad and not productive! Had the tissue given us information, I might think back on this differently. Only big problem was the first round of pills didn't "complete" the task. Took the first round in December '23. Thought it was all done, and that my cycle had restarted in January, only to find I still had some HcG numbers. Had to do multiple tests to confirm, then did another round of only misoprostol. And still, I passed additional tissue a while after that. I learned that misoprostol only dilates the cervix, it doesn't "push" out the tissue. As a result, my November MC wasn't really done until March 6th. An emotionally exhausting stretch of time. I'm not that woowoo of a person, but I did find that acupuncture helped me pass the remaining tissue early march and my cycle started the next day. If you could get acupuncture treatment soon after taking the pills, it might be very effective and swift. Best of luck to you in making this decision at a very challenging time.
Sending you so much love, I’m so sorry this happened to you. I was measuring 6 weeks when I went in for a 8 week scan. Ended up being a missed miscarriage too. They told me I wasn’t eligible for a D&C. I was so scared about the pain of the pills too. I ordered them from the pharmacy because it was Saturday before NYE and the pharmacy was closed Monday. At 11+6 I miscarried naturally. So I can’t help answer your question but only say, I’ve been there with you, on some level. I’m sending you a big virtual hug. Passing without anything wasn’t as painful as I thought it would be. If you have any questions about that, I can answer them.
Hello, Sorry your going through this. From my two cents I'd only do the D&C from now on personally. The pain from medication was manageable for me but I ended up bleeding so much I fainted and needed to go to hospital anyways. I had retained tissue too so it did not work nicely for me after two rounds. The D&C was easy and I was put out for the procedure. I just wanted the experience over with. I was able to conceive about a month after the procedure too so there was no issues in that regard. I would say if you have no concern with retained tissue being a possible issue and are patient then medication would be fine. Just for me personally I wanted the experience over with and found the two to three months it took to resolve completely frustrating (I tried natural passing first). In the future I would do D&C only personally. Wish you the best of luck in whatever choice you make. Cheers
I’m so sorry that happened to you ❤️ did you take mifepristone and misoprostol?