# What's the difference between a "Suction D&C" and a regular one?



## JWhite31 (Feb 22, 2005)

Hi all. I just lost my third pregnancy due to a blighted ovum. I thought everything was normal until we went in for our 12 week scan and it was just an empty gestational sac measuring about 7 weeks.
We went in a week later and it was still the same, so this past Monday I went in for a D&C, since my body was showing no signs of a natural m/c.

On my hospital papers, it said that the procedure to be performed was a "Suction D&C". I was just wondering what the difference is between a suction D&C and a regular D&C...or is there any difference?

I am paranoid now that having this procedure will somehow compromise my future fertility.








Just wondering..thanks.


----------



## Eliseatthebeach (Sep 20, 2007)

I don't know much about D&C procedure, but I just wanted to say I'm sorry for your loss.


----------



## mytwogirls (Jan 3, 2008)

I believe what you might have had was a D&E, dilating the cervix, then removing the contents of the uterus via suction and curettage. In a D & C curettage may be performed by scraping the uterine wall with a curette instrument or by a suction curettage (also called vacuum aspiration), using a vacuum-type instrument. As and RN, that is what it is to my knowledge.


----------



## mytwogirls (Jan 3, 2008)

Oh, and please try not to worry about your fertility, I had to have four of them done and conceived fine with my children. If you have a careful surgeon, you will be ok. I am very sorry for your loss. Please take care of yourself mama. (HUGS!)


----------



## texaspeach (Jun 19, 2005)

I also had a blighted ovum and had a suction d&c at 11 weeks because there were no signs of the m/c completing on its own (tried herbs with no effect). My dr explained that they would dilate the cervix then use a syringe to suction out the uterus, and then use a currette to scrape the uterine lining (I'm a student nurse and made the mistake of googling for images of curettes before the procedure ack!). Like mytwogirls mentioned, the procedure is sometimes called a d&e, but for some reason on my surgical report they put suction d&c. I think with a suction d&c as opposed to a traditional d&c it may be easier to send tissues to the lab. that's the only real difference I can think of.

It shouldn't effect your future fertility. I had the same worry. the emotions surrounding a loss are so complex.

I'm so sorry for your loss


----------

