missed miscarriage at 9 weeks - options

[Anonymous]

At my first prenatal visit yesterday we saw there was no heartbeat, and the embryo measured 7 weeks. I was given the option of allowing my body to miscarry on its own, go in for a D&C, or take Cytotec. I'm of course distraught, and I'd like to move on as soon as possible. I'm leaning towards using Cytotec. My doctor mentioned that any of the options is fine, but her opinion was that allowing my body to expel the embryo (either through waiting for miscarriage or inducing with Cytotec) was the better option.

I'm looking for feedback from other moms who have gone through this, particularly those who have used Cytotec for this purpose. Most of the old threads I found discussed Cytotec for inducing labor, and that is not the situation I'm in at all.

[Anonymous]

I don't have any advice for you but I am so very sorry. Unfortunately miscarriages are incredibly common, but do not lose hope.

[Anonymous]

I used Cytotex to induce MC and ended up with a DC when my body didn't cooperate. I had awful cramping but that was it. Another time I "let it happen naturally" and I ended up with a DC when my body didn't cooperate! And finally, I tried a methergine combo (I cannot remember the other medication, sorry) which worked, no DC that time. But, I would not do it again (at home)...it was bloody and painful and much more emotional negative for me.

If you want it to be over with, do a DC. I know its invasive...but, at least for me, having a MC is so emotionally draining. After 3, I learned that for me the most painless (physically and emotionally) is to have a DC.

The decision is just so personal though...any woman who has been through a MC, or multiple, understands this...there is no right answer or wrong answer. I am so sorry for your loss, OP.

[Anonymous]

I used Cytotec for a missed misc. It sucked for about 2-3 days (where you literally are on the toilet). I had no idea how much would really come out and was a bit shocked but it turned out ok. If you use this, make sure you can get a presc for something stronger than advil if you have a low pain tolerance nad drink plenty of liquids. THe cramps are about the same as labor pains. The advantage was that you can start trying again almost immediately once your hcg levels hit 0, whereas with a D&C, it is recommended to wait a couple of months.

Very sorry OP. Hang in there.

[Anonymous]

I had a missed miscarriage around that time as well. I went in for a D&C the next day. I wasn't told about Cytotex as an option. Maybe because the fetus was only measuring around 5 weeks? My options were to let nature take it's course (which might not have worked) or D&C. I couldn't bear the thought of walking around knowing what was going on inside me any longer than I had too and I scheduled the D&C for the next day. I'm very glad I did that. It made things as easy as they could be.

I'm very sorry for your situation. I hope whatever you decide, that this process is no more painful than it has to be.

[Anonymous]

I'm sorry! I hope you are doing ok and being nice to yourself. This is a hard thing to go through and I'm sorry you have to do it.

I had a missed m/c at 8 weeks and had a D&C. I'm not sure why but I wasn't offered cytotec...maybe because it was four years ago? Anyway I just wanted to say that the D&C was physically pretty easy. Went to Sibley, put under, woke up, done. I didn't have any complications and I got pregnant with my 3 year old a handful of months later.

Best wishes to you!

[Anonymous]

Physically, letting it happen naturally is better BUT it doesn't always work out that way, nor is it always the emotionally easy thing (waiting for it to happen).
If it were me, I'd wait a few days and if nothing happened I would get a D&C.

[Anonymous]

I'm sorry PP.
I tried Cytotec and essentially had labor pains for 6 hours and then nothing happened. I was supposed to try it again the following night, but wasn't brave enough to go through that again (I was vomiting from the pain, and it is much scarier to be in that sort of pain at home than in the hospital). I ended up calling and scheduling a D&C which was super easy and painless.

[Anonymous]

This post is graphic, so you may not want to read it. I just think you should be aware of what may happen on Cytotec. There are good reasons to take it, but my personal experience with it was pretty bad, and this may help inform your opinion. I was further along--I was measuring close to 9 weeks (discovered the miscarriage at 12 weeks), so you're likely to have fewer problems, but you may, at a minimum, want to read more on the web about women's experiences with Cytotec. If I hadn't had some inkling of the volume of blood and cramping that appears to be normal, I would have thought I was dying.
I've had two miscarriages. I had a D&C with the first, and used Cytotec with the second. We chose Cyctotec the second time around because I didn't want to have to worry about scarring and because we thought we could start trying again sooner. That has NOT worked out. I took the Cytotec in Septmeber, and my beta levels just got to 6 last week; moreover, I still have retained product, so I'm now scheduled for a D&C anyway. I realize this is unusual (and probably less of a risk for you since you weren't as far along), but it's something to think about/ask your doctor about.
If you do choose to use Cytotec, please, please, please be sure to have someone home with you. We did because of what we read on the internet, but my doctor didn't mention it. My doctor also recommended taking it at night, which would have been the wrong thing to do; again, we chose to do it in the morning because of what we'd read on the internet. Within 3-4 hours of taking it, I was going through 3-4 heavy pads an hour, and that rate continued for more than 8 hours. Trying to manage that by myself (I couldn't change a pad without getting blood all over the bathroom floor) or trying to make decisions about whether we needed to go to the hospital in the middle of the night would have been crazy. I also second the recommendation about getting pain killers. My doctor sent me home without any. I had Tylenol 3 left from my D&C, and it still hurt, even when I was taking 3 pills at a time.
Finally, while you already know that if you do a D&C you can get genetic testing done and with Cytotec you cannot, you should also know that if you use Cytotec you may actually have to deal with the fetus yourself. It landed in my pad, and I had to dispose of it. I don't have words for how awful that was. Again, this may be less of an issue because of where you are, but may be something to discuss with your doctor if it's something that would affect your decision.
I'm so sorry for your loss. Please take care of yourself, and good luck with what I know is a difficult decision.

[Anonymous]

Ditto what pp said. I had 3 mcs. First I did cytocec and I bled so much all night, it was horrible. If you do it, I recommend doing it during the day.
For the other two I had a D&C, much easier, hardly bled, period returned after 33 and 28 days, (it took 6 weeks with the pills).

So sorry OP.

[Anonymous]

I am in the same situation as you, OP. I am so sorry that you have to go through this right now. D&C sounds like a much better option than the pill. The question is - how long do you have to wait before you can start trying again? Does the OB actually monitor your hormone levels, or can you just wait until you have a period & ovulate? - Thanks.

[Anonymous]

OP, did they ask you to come in a week later & check to see if there is a hb? Perhaps your dates are off?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am in the same situation as you, OP. I am so sorry that you have to go through this right now. D&C sounds like a much better option than the pill. The question is - how long do you have to wait before you can start trying again? Does the OB actually monitor your hormone levels, or can you just wait until you have a period & ovulate? - Thanks.

I just posted an answer to this in some other thread, in TTC i think. I had 3 mcs. 1 ob told me wait 3 periods, another one told me wait 2 periods, perinatologist said wait 1 period, RE said don't wait.

With my last 2 mcs I ovulated almost right on time and got period 4-4.5 weeks after d&c

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am in the same situation as you, OP. I am so sorry that you have to go through this right now. D&C sounds like a much better option than the pill. The question is - how long do you have to wait before you can start trying again? Does the OB actually monitor your hormone levels, or can you just wait until you have a period & ovulate? - Thanks.

I just posted an answer to this in some other thread, in TTC i think. I had 3 mcs. 1 ob told me wait 3 periods, another one told me wait 2 periods, perinatologist said wait 1 period, RE said don't wait.

With my last 2 mcs I ovulated almost right on time and got period 4-4.5 weeks after d&c

Sorry to ask this, but what did you decide to do? Did you wait?

[Anonymous]

I had a missed mc at 9.5 weks. I came back for a follow-up sono several days later and then opted for a d&c (the day before Thanksgiving several years ago). Sorry for your loss. I know this won't offer any comfort right now, but I discovered that I felt a little better hearing how common it is from other friends, relatives and colleagues who had all suffered miscarriages at some point. Also FWIW, lots of women end up getting pregnant shortly after miscarrying. We waited a few months to try again, but my doc said we could try after one or two cycles.