Dilation and Curettage (D&C) (cont.)

Medical Author:

R Daniel Braun, MD

Coauthor:

Carmine E Williams, MD

Coauthor:

Robert M McNamara, MD, FAAEM

Coauthor:

Raymond Brown, MD

Medical Editor:

Jeter (Jay) Pritchard Taylor III, MD

Medical Editor:

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD

Medical Editor:

Lee P Shulman, MD

Hemorrhage: Heavy bleeding is rare, but it can happen if an instrument injures the walls of your uterus. It also can occur if an undetected fibroid is cut during curettage.

Infection: There is always a slight possibility of infection once instruments are inserted into the uterus. Most infections can be easily cured with antibiotics. Some can be very serious.

Perforated uterus: This complication, though rare, is more common in women who have a uterine infection at the time of the procedure, in elderly postmenopausal women, and if the procedure is being done for a miscarriage. If your doctor suspects this condition has developed, you may be asked to stay in the hospital for observation or further surgery.

Asherman syndrome: This complication is rare and involves the formation of scar tissue in the uterus, caused by aggressive scraping or abnormal reaction to the scraping. Thick scars can result, which can fill up the uterus completely. This can cause your menstrual periods to stop and make you infertile (unable to get pregnant).

Missed disease: Studies indicate that only 10-20% of the endometrial cavity is actually scraped during a D&C, so there is a chance the disease could go undetected. This is why the procedure is seldom done without a hysteroscopy anymore.

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