Does a natural miscarriage require a uterine curettage?

Written by Zhang Lu
Obstetrics
Updated on September 03, 2024
00:00
00:00

A natural miscarriage refers to the spontaneous expulsion of the gestational sac from within the uterine cavity, in contrast to a miscarriage induced through medical intervention. A natural miscarriage is not the same as a complete miscarriage, which occurs when the gestational sac is completely expelled from the uterus without any remnants. Whether a natural miscarriage is complete is typically determined about a week after the event by a follow-up ultrasound. If the uterine cavity has no remnants or only minimal fluid accumulation, the miscarriage is considered complete, and usually, no surgical cleaning of the uterus is required. However, if the ultrasound after a natural miscarriage reveals substantial remnants within the uterine cavity, this indicates an incomplete miscarriage, and surgical cleaning of the uterus is generally necessary.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Liu Wei Jie
Obstetrics
41sec home-news-image

Does a natural miscarriage count as an abortion?

Is miscarriage considered the same as abortion? These are not the same concepts, but they share similarities. Miscarriage is due to factors related to the mother or fetus, leading to the natural loss of the embryo, whereas abortion involves artificially inducing the removal of the embryo from the womb. Although miscarriages might also result in some postpartum complications, abortions tend to have more complications due to the artificial means involved. These artificial ways include surgical abortion procedures, during which there might be risks of infection and damage to the uterine lining.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Du Rui Xia
Obstetrics
1min 3sec home-news-image

What are the symptoms of a natural miscarriage?

During a natural miscarriage, the most typical clinical symptoms include abdominal pain and vaginal bleeding. Based on the different symptoms of a natural miscarriage, women should undergo differential diagnosis. When a woman experiences abdominal pain and vaginal bleeding, it may initially suggest a threatened miscarriage. If the abdominal pain worsens and vaginal bleeding increases, it could progress to an inevitable miscarriage. An inevitable miscarriage can further be classified into complete or incomplete miscarriage. In the case of a complete miscarriage, the abdominal pain generally subsides gradually, and the vaginal bleeding eventually stops. In contrast, during an incomplete miscarriage, the vaginal bleeding lasts longer, and the abdominal pain is prolonged. At this point, it is necessary to visit a hospital for an examination to check if there are any remnants in the uterine cavity and to receive further treatment.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Du Rui Xia
Obstetrics
48sec home-news-image

Does a natural miscarriage require a uterine cleaning (D&C)?

When a miscarriage occurs, whether a uterine cleaning is needed depends on whether there are any remnants in the uterine cavity as shown by a follow-up ultrasound examination, that is, to see if the miscarriage was complete. If the examination reveals significant remnants in the uterine cavity after the miscarriage, then a uterine cleaning treatment is required. Most women do not need a uterine cleaning after a natural miscarriage, as typically the bleeding will stop around 7-10 days post-miscarriage. Therefore, women should focus on resting, improving their nutrition, and enhancing their body's resistance to prevent any potential complications after a natural miscarriage.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Du Rui Xia
Obstetrics
47sec home-news-image

Can you smoke after a natural miscarriage?

After a natural miscarriage, it is best for women not to smoke, as smoking is an unhealthy lifestyle habit that can reduce a woman's body resistance. After a miscarriage, a woman’s body is relatively weak, and smoking could possibly induce infections, such as gynecological inflammation. After the miscarriage, it's important to avoid smoking and ensure rest, adequate sleep, enhanced nutrition, and intake of foods rich in protein and vitamins. It is also essential to drink plenty of water and maintain a positive mood. After the miscarriage, one should avoid heavy physical labor and spicy, stimulating foods to ensure a good mood and promote physical recovery.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Du Rui Xia
Obstetrics
39sec home-news-image

Do the symptoms of spontaneous miscarriage include bleeding?

During a natural miscarriage, vaginal bleeding occurs. This is because, after a miscarriage, the gestational sac and shed uterine lining also need to be expelled from the body, resulting in vaginal bleeding. Typically, this bleeding lasts about a week, gradually diminishing until it stops. If vaginal bleeding after a natural miscarriage persists for an extended period, even exceeding ten days without stopping, and is accompanied by abdominal pain, it is necessary to visit the hospital for an ultrasound to check for any remnants within the uterine cavity and possibly undergo a dilation and curettage procedure.