Why I do not want a D&C

So leaving the office and having the nurse tell me "you will want a D&E" brought back a rage. I wanted to yell at her. NO. I will NOT want another surgical scraping of my uterus thank you very much!

So what is attractive to a D&C that so many women "demand" them? Well first, D&C is the medical term for dilation and curettage of the uterine contents. Why would women want this? Part of me states out of ignorance, but the true answer would be convenience, and some think of it as an "easier" way out of a crappy situation. Now don't get me wrong, like any surgical procedure, they can be life saving, but I am talking about "ELECTIVE" terminations.

Physiologically why have a D&C, it is stated as a 'controlled' event. Instead of a spontaneous miscarriage ruining your new beige linen pants, you schedule a convenient day. Shave your legs all nice, get a pedicure, and then go get your uterus scraped out. You wake up, and have minor cramping, "current practice is to tell you to take Tylenol for the "menstrual like" cramps" and some light red bleeding. Bleeding lasts 2-3 weeks, and expect your period to arrive 6-9 weeks after surgery. Voila. All done.

Emotionally why have a D&C. Some may find the thought of carrying around a dead baby too much to deal with. Some may find waiting unbearable. Some may be afraid of having a miscarriage, after all we all have heard horror stories {So and so bled all over the place, the ambulance had to take her out of work! Oh the pain was so bad I passed out! etc.}. Who would take that route if the blue pill was offered.

Why not to have a D&C, physiologically. First it is uterine surgery. They first "sound" the uterus with a blunt metal rod (oh, that can't perforate a hole in your uterus now can it?) inserting it up to see how large your uterus is. Then they forcefully dilate with metal rods of varying diameter. Insert a suction catheter, swirl it around a couple of times, and then introduce the currette, think a hollowed out spoon where the inside surface is razor sharp, and scrape the lining. If you want a better play by play read "A woman in residence". It is quite horrific, she an OB resident states how "graphic" and how violent it is. So what are the risks associated with this? Perforated uterus, infection, hemorrhage, scarring (which can interfere with future implantation and placenta) etc. But that is the risk of only the actual surgery on the uterus. Due to it being under anesthesia "twilight sleep" or general, you now carry the risk of those as well. Blood clots, anesthetic reactions, broken teeth, damaged vocal cords, etc. Not to mention they sometimes throw in a urinary catheter so add urinary tract infection to the list.

The emotional reasons to not have a D&C. It is a procedure that is done to you. you are unconscious. You are completely at the hands of strangers in a strange place. The "twilight sleep" anesthesia is enough to weird anyone out. It is where they give you meds to make you not remember, but you still can answer their questions, and react and do as your told like "spread your legs". Now that is enough to make any rape survivor wig out! In the end, you do not have the feeling of closure, just a feeling of emptiness. A hollow void. They call the baby "products of conception" and ship it off to the path lab to be tested and thrown away as medical waste. It is a day event, and they send you off home all better now.

I had a D&C, and I will post the horror event another time.