Dilation and Curettage (D&C): Why It’s Done and What to Expect
Women's HealthGynecologic Surgery & Procedures
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What Is Dilation and Curettage (D&C)?

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Updated on October 3, 2024
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Dilation and curettage (D&C) may be used to clear the uterine lining following a miscarriage or abortion. It can also help diagnose certain health conditions, such as uterine cancer or polyps.

Overview

What Is Dilation and Curettage?

Dilation and curettage (pronounced cure-eh-TAJ), also called D&C, is a procedure that removes tissue from the uterus in order to treat or diagnose a condition. According to research, D&C is one of the most commonly performed invasive procedures in the United States.

During a D&C, the cervix is dilated, or widened, using an instrument or medication. Then, a suction tube or spoon-shaped instrument, called a curette, removes tissue from the uterine lining via scraping or suction.

Why Is Dilation and Curettage Done?

A D&C may be performed to diagnose or treat a uterine condition, including:

In pregnancy-related cases, a D&C may be used to:

  • Terminate a pregnancy
  • Remove conception products that remain in the body
  • Evaluate placental tissues, if the pregnancy is in an unknown location
  • Remove a molar pregnancy, which causes a tumor to form instead of a normal pregnancy

  • Prevent infection or heavy bleeding by clearing out any tissue that remains in the uterus after a miscarriage or abortion

  • Treat excessive bleeding after giving birth by clearing out parts of the placenta that remain in the uterus

A D&C, which occurs in about 50 percent of miscarriages, can help prevent bleeding and infections.

How Is Dilation and Curettage Performed?

A D&C is usually performed by a gynecologist or obstetrician. It can be done at a doctor’s office, outpatient care center, or hospital.

Depending on your medical history and reason for the procedure, you may be awake or sedated with anesthesia.

After the anesthesia takes effect, a doctor will insert a device called a speculum into the vagina, which helps dilate the cervix. Thin rods, or dilators, are used to expand the cervix to the appropriate width.

Then, a curette (sharp instrument) or suction device is used to scrape tissue from the uterine lining.

How Do I Prepare for Dilation and Curettage?

It’s important to follow your healthcare provider’s instructions prior to having a D&C. If they plan to administer general anesthesia, they may ask you not to drink or eat for several hours before the procedure.

Sometimes, your cervix may need to be dilated or softened a few hours or a day before surgery. To start the dilation process, your doctor may prescribe a medication or insert a thin rod into your cervix.

Pre-D&C cervical dilation is typically done in cases of pregnancy termination or when a hysteroscopy will be performed during the D&C.

In a hysteroscopy, a doctor uses a thin instrument with a camera at the end to visualize the uterus. This helps them spot any potential abnormalities, and they can also remove uterine polyps or fibroids during this procedure.

What Should I Expect During Dilation and Curettage?

During a D&C, you’ll receive one or more types of anesthesia to eliminate pain and discomfort:

  • General anesthesia puts you to sleep.
  • Regional anesthesia numbs you from the waist down.
  • Local anesthesia only numbs the cervix.
Here’s what to expect during the procedure:

  • You’ll lie on your back with your heels in stirrups while your doctor inserts an instrument (speculum) into your vagina. This helps them see into the cervix.
  • Your doctor will slowly dilate the cervix using rods. The rods will start small, and then gradually increase in diameter. This helps dilate the cervix.
  • Once the cervix is dilated enough, your doctor will remove the rods and insert a spoon-shaped instrument (curette) to remove uterine tissue. A curette may be sharp, or it may be a suction device.
A D&C typically takes 10 to 15 minutes, but you may need to stay longer for monitoring.

What Are the Potential Risks Associated With Dilation and Curettage?

A D&C is usually a safe procedure, but there are some risks, including:

  • Perforation of the uterus: This happens more often in patients after menopause or pregnancy.
  • Development of scar tissue inside the uterus: This is called Asherman’s syndrome, which is rare. Scarring can lead to infertility, future miscarriages, or abnormal, absent, or painful menstrual cycles.
  • Injury of the cervix: If damage occurs, pressure, medication, or stitches can help stop the bleeding.
  • Infection: This is rare, occurring in about 1 to 2 percent of D&C cases.

  • Bleeding: This is especially rare if a D&C is performed for reasons unrelated to pregnancy.

The risk of death from a D&C is extremely small.

What Type of Care Is Needed Following Dilation and Curettage?

After the procedure, you may have to stay in the recovery room for several hours to make sure you’re not bleeding heavily or experiencing other complications. You’ll also need to wait for the anesthesia to wear off.

Here’s what to expect after you go home:

  • You may experience spotting or bleeding for a couple days.
  • You can take ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) for pain or discomfort.
  • Your next period may be early or late, as it takes time for a new uterine lining to form.
  • Don’t insert anything into your vagina. This helps prevent infection.

  • Ask your doctor when you can have sex or use tampons.
Full recovery may take a couple of weeks. However, you should be able to get back to most of your normal activities within one to two days of surgery.

What Are the Possible Complications and Side Effects of Dilation and Curettage?

Side effects of a D&C typically include mild cramping, spotting, or light bleeding.

If you experience any of the following after a D&C, contact your doctor immediately:

  • Heavy bleeding that requires changing pads every hour
  • Cramping that lasts longer than two days
  • Severe cramps

  • Fever higher than 100.4 degrees F
  • Pain that worsens
  • Vaginal discharge that smells foul
  • Large blood clots

  • Dizziness
  • Fainting

What’s Next

To help ease cramping, your doctor may recommend taking ibuprofen or another medication. They may also prescribe an antibiotic to help prevent an infection.

As you recover, it’s important to avoid inserting anything into your vagina, which includes using tampons, douching, and having sex. Your doctor will advise when it’s safe to have sex again.

 They’ll also let you know when it’s safe to start trying to conceive, if you had a D&C due to a miscarriage.

After a D&C, your next period may come early or late, because the uterus needs to build a lining again.

You’ll also need to make a follow-up appointment with your doctor to discuss any lab results. If you are diagnosed with a health condition, your care team will discuss the treatment options and next steps with you.

The Takeaway

A D&C is a surgery that removes the uterine lining to treat or diagnose a condition. After a D&C, you may experience pain, spotting, or light bleeding. If you have concerns about this surgery or are experiencing prolonged symptoms, contact your doctor.

EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
  1. Cooper DB et al. Dilation and Curettage. StatPearls. May 7, 2023.
  2. Dilation and Curettage (D&C). Mayo Clinic. November 7, 2023.
  3. D&C Procedure After a Miscarriage. American Pregnancy Association.
  4. Dilation and Curettage (D&C). Cleveland Clinic. February 9, 2024.
  5. Dilation and Curettage (D&C). American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. August 2022.
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John Paul McHugh, MD

Medical Reviewer
Member of American College of Lifestyle Medicine

John Paul McHugh, MD, is an obstetrician-gynecologist and lifestyle medicine specialist in southern California. He has always placed wellness at the center of his work, in both delivering babies and improving practice standards. Dr. McHugh believes that bringing lifestyle medicine to the center of health and wellness empowers patients to make the change they seek and enjoy the benefits of true wellness.

He is a graduate of Harvard Medical School and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a fellow of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine. He served as a department chair at Scripps Mercy Hospital in San Diego and is now the chair-elect for the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists for California.

He has published several articles in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine and served as a peer reviewer for many articles. He contributed to the first textbook of lifestyle medicine in women's health: Improving Women's Health Across the Lifespan.

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Kristeen Cherney, PhD, is a freelance writer, essayist, author, and poet with more than 15 years of health writing experience for digital platforms such as Healthline, The Mighty, and LiveStrong. She’s covered nutrition, women’s and children’s wellness issues, as well as specialized topics ranging from diabetes and thyroid disease to anxiety, depression, asthma, allergies, and skin conditions.

With a doctorate in English (rhetoric and composition), Dr. Cherney focuses her academic scholarship on the intersection between disability and literacy. She also holds a Master of Arts in English and a Bachelor of Arts in communication.

Cherney has contributed to the books The Wiley Handbook on Violence in Education: Forms, Factors, and Preventions, Composing in Four Acts: Readings for Writers, and Georgia State University's Guide to First-Year Writing, as well as to scholarly journals like Praxis, the Journal of Teaching Writing, and the Journal of Dracula Studies.

Cherney enjoys running, meditating, hiking, and paddleboarding.
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EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
  1. Cooper DB et al. Dilation and Curettage. StatPearls. May 7, 2023.
  2. Dilation and Curettage (D&C). Mayo Clinic. November 7, 2023.
  3. D&C Procedure After a Miscarriage. American Pregnancy Association.
  4. Dilation and Curettage (D&C). Cleveland Clinic. February 9, 2024.
  5. Dilation and Curettage (D&C). American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. August 2022.
Additional Sources