Miscarriage: Should I Have Treatment to Complete a Miscarriage?

Decision Point

You may want to have a say in this decision, or you may simply want to follow your doctor's recommendation. Either way, this information will help you understand what your choices are so that you can talk to your doctor about them.

Miscarriage: Should I Have Treatment to Complete a Miscarriage?

Here's a record of your answers. You can use it to talk with your doctor or loved ones about your decision.

Get the facts

Your options

  • Wait to see if your body completes the miscarriage on its own.
  • Take medicine to complete the miscarriage.
  • Have surgery to complete the miscarriage.

Key points to remember

  • There is no treatment that can stop a miscarriage after it has started. The goal of treatment is to prevent an infection and the loss of too much blood. These problems are most likely to occur when the uterus does not completely empty. (This is called an incomplete miscarriage.)
  • For many women, the body completes the miscarriage on its own. If you decide not to treat your miscarriage, see your doctor. He or she will watch you closely during the time you wait for the miscarriage to complete.
  • If you have heavy bleeding or infection during a miscarriage, you will likely need surgery to empty your uterus.
  • Medicine makes the uterus squeeze and empty. Medicine takes longer than a procedure to empty your uterus, and it can cause pain and side effects.
  • Surgery has risks, including infection and a possible hole (puncture) or scarring in the uterus.
  • Using medicine or waiting for the uterus to empty on its own doesn't always work. If medicine, waiting, or both don't empty the uterus after several weeks, you may need surgery.

FAQs

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