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Miscarriage/pregnancy loss

Find support and share your experiences on our Miscarriage forum. See also legal rights and support after baby loss.

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Original poster

ERPC, induced m/c or natural m/c - how do I choose?

25 replies

scarlotti · 23/12/2008 11:58

Hi
I went to the hospital yesterday with light bleeding at 10 weeks and was told that the baby had not grown and there was no heartbeat.

I've been told that I now need to choose as to how I want to manage the miscarriage: naturally, with a tablet to induce it (which I'm told can be quite intense and painful) or have an ERPC.

The bleeding is now getting lighter so I don't think a natural m/c is on its way soon.

How do I choose what to do? I am coping ok-ish with what's happened, especially given this is the 2nd in a row. I'm finding it hard to think the baby is still inside me even though it's died (sorry, tmi) and I also wonder whether the ERPC might be better given this was a pregnancy straight after a miscarriage.
I have been told though that a natural m/c releases hormones - anyone else know anything about this?

Any advice/thoughts most gratefully received.

OP posts:

BlueCowNowIsLowingAndDCAwake · 23/12/2008 12:39

I'm so sorry to hear your sad news.

My choice was to go home and wait. I couldn't face any medical management (mine was 2nd, too). FWIW I mc in early Oct, pregnant again mid Dec, baby next August.

I hope you find the right way for you, esp at this difficult time of year.

TheBlonde · 23/12/2008 12:58

Sorry to hear of your loss

At 10 weeks I would expect quite a lot of bleeding and I'd choose an ERPC.
You may want to avoid the general anaesthetic but you could wait for some time before you start to bleed if you go the natural route

pecanpie · 23/12/2008 13:03

Sorry to hear your news. I miscarried at about the same time as you and chose to have a D&C which I think is the same as the ERPC. It's quick and I think the physically implications are less, leaving you to get on with your emotional recovery. Good luck with whatever you choose.

goingfor3 · 23/12/2008 13:06

I'm really sorry to hear your news. I would also opt for an erpc. A tablet induced mc could still mean you need an erpc afterwards.

Nicole25 · 23/12/2008 13:16

Hi all, first time on one of these so here i go, mc 5 weeks ago at 5 weeks (1st pg). Was advised no reason not to try straight away. Over the last few days had tender breasts and feel like they have been a puch bag!! If i am id be very early and im scared of doing a test just yet.... am i right...ignoring it??

Nici x

Original poster

scarlotti · 23/12/2008 13:19

Thanks for all your support.

BlueCow - was the natural route painful? How far gone were you?

I'm leaning towards the erpc route I think as I don't want this to take weeks to resolve. Having said that, I doubt I'll get in before Christmas now so I guess I might have to wait anyway.

OP posts:

BBBee · 23/12/2008 13:30

i am so sorry to hear this.

i had a similar situation to you but was 12wks, no heartbeat. i elected for a D&C but during the wiat miscarried the majority naturally.

the choice is very personal - what you feel you can cope with best - less medical intervention or getting it done quickly.

i fopund it hard to see what was coming away from my body and felt very sad and alone. i think i would have chosen a D&C myself but is such a personal thing.

am thinking of you.

BBBee · 23/12/2008 13:31

oh and i should add htat even thouh i felt i had miscarried all of my baby they still wanted to do a ERPC to make sure.

katsh · 23/12/2008 13:46

So sorry. I had mc at 10 weeks. There was a lot of bleeding ( much too much in fact but I didn't realise until nearly too late ) and then I still had to have erpc 3 days later as not everything had come away, and bleeding wouldn't stop. I had choice of erpc or natural, and in retrospect the erpc would have been much less traumatic. I wish you well.

ruddynorah · 23/12/2008 13:51

i had a missed miscarriage at 8 weeks, showed at the 12 week scan.

i went with erpc as i didn't want to wait. glad i did go down that route as it turned out to be molar so was important to remove it quickly.

Original poster

scarlotti · 23/12/2008 14:01

What's a molar?

OP posts:

ruddynorah · 23/12/2008 14:02

where the placenta turns into a tumour and can spread like cancer. very very rare. they test for it after a miscarriage.

Original poster

scarlotti · 23/12/2008 14:32

Gosh, you poor thing. Hope you were/are ok.

I've opted for the op so am now on a list awaiting a bed. Might be tomorrow, if not then after Christmas Day. Not ideal but I think it's the best decision for me.

Thank you so much for all your support and advice.

OP posts:

Glimmer · 23/12/2008 17:46

Dear Scarlotti. I am very sad to hear of your mc. I had a mmc at 12 weeks, so know how you feel. I think you decision to go with an ERPC is right for you, but just a cautionary word: 5% are incomplete (i.e. there will be some material left) and you might have to go for another ERPC. There are some other possible complications, but they will inform you and chances for those are smaller. As (emotionally) painful as it might be, I would do a HPT a week after the surgery to confirm BFN. It took me 6 months and two more surgeries to get over the complications caused by the first. Now, this is unusual, 95% are fine.

Glimmer · 23/12/2008 17:46

BlueCowNowIsLowingAndDCAwake · 23/12/2008 18:03

just back Scarlotti. The natural route I took took about a week to start, then a week for the bleeding. I was 11.5 weeks when it was confirmed as a missed miscarriage Seems like I am the only one around her to go for this way. I hadn't realised the effect on hormones you mention, but it worked out very well for me. And usually I'm not a wait-and-see type, but this was meant no hospital appointments, doctors or anything like that. Just went home and waited, with the support of my dh.

Hope it's OK

BBBee · 23/12/2008 18:14

best wishes scarlotti - keep posting if you think it will help. i think it would have helped me at the time if i knew people who had been through the same.

for you and all on here.

MarxAndSparks · 23/12/2008 18:24

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BlueCowNowIsLowingAndDCAwake · 23/12/2008 21:55

I keep being drawn to this thread... Hope you are OK Scarlotti.

Have just talked to dh ( he was a bit surprised at the timing!) and my experience was different from anyone else here! No pain at all as far as both of us can remember (not even period pain), so it might all be less physically painful than you expect, just the emotions to deal with.

BBBee · 23/12/2008 22:03

thinking of you.

AuntyFlo · 23/12/2008 22:07

Hi Scarlotti,
Just to say everyones experience is very different and you have to go with what you think's best for you.
I had mmc in July and had to have emergency ERPC due to heavy bleeding - all went well.
Then a 2nd mc in November and this time naturally at 4-5 weeks - minimal pain, even less than my period.
The womb has a mind of it's own.
Sometimes the bleeding can stop then start up again and nature may step in before the ERPC date.
Take care and wish you well.

greenhill · 24/12/2008 10:55

Scarlotti, sorry to hear of your loss. Hope all goes well at the hospital.
We had our 13 week scan on Monday. No heartbeat. I'd had light brown spotting several times a few weeks ago. Although I didn't worry too much, I was not surprised when I viewed the scan screen.
Everyone at the hospital has been very kind: sonographer, registrar, doctor, nurses and the lovely woman that waits with you in recovery while you come round from the anaesthetic.
Yesterday I had the ERPC and it was fine, no pain, there was some blood but I feel a lot better today. I know it was the right decision for me, hopefully you will feel it is the right decision for you too.

MrsSeanBean · 24/12/2008 11:01

My sympathies at this.

I had a MC 2 years ago and chose the natural option. It was manageable with strong painkillers. Sorry if this is TMI but bleeding is heavy.

Sweetcheek · 24/12/2008 12:50

So sorry you have to go through this at Christmas. I had medical management last week at 14 weeks and was expecting a horror of pain and emotion. The reality was very little pain, I needed no painkillers, very sympathetic and lovely staff on private room in a gynecology ward and a 5 hour wait. I may have been lucky everyone's body is different. My milk did come in this week though which is annoying more than anything. My experience of these things (and I am a big scared baby)is whatever you decide it won't be as bad as you think and you are stronger than you can imagine. Take care.xx

juuule · 24/12/2008 13:07

For each of my mmc I've opted for erpc. To my mind once I knew that the pregnancy wasn't viable I wanted to return to normal physically as soon as I could.
For me, erpc was straightforward and quick and stopped the distress I would have felt had I not had one. I would also have worried about anything going wrong eg infection etc by continuing to carry.
Obviously the emotional side isn't as easy to deal with as the physical side but for me, I felt that I wasn't prolonging things.

I'm not sure what you mean about natural m/c releasing hormones?

So sorry to hear that you are having to go through this.

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