Give It A Couple Of Weeks

A recent study on miscarriage research published in the journal known as Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology looks at natural miscarriage as an alternative for women who wish to avoid medical intervention. For various reasons, many women would prefer to avoid a D&C or a medical induction of miscarriage. Researchers decided to follow 282 women diagnosed through ultrasound examination as having miscarried.

Of these 282 women, 80% chose to forego medical intervention. The women were then observed to see what would happen. Slightly more than 60% of the women were able to complete the miscarriage without medical intervention within two weeks' time.

Natural Miscarriage

However, there were distinctions in the rate for completing a natural miscarriage according to the type of miscarriage. In the women diagnosed with incomplete miscarriage, the rate of completion within 2 weeks was 71%, in those with blighted ovum, 53%, and in those with "missed miscarriage" only 35% were found to resolve their miscarriages without intervention.

The conclusion of the researchers is that it may be best to use a "wait and see" approach in women diagnosed with incomplete miscarriage. In this type of miscarriage, the symptoms are clear-cut: cramping, bleeding, with some pregnancy tissue still retained within the uterus.

This study was a small one, so physicians aren't going to abandon their widespread practices regarding miscarriage as the result of this report. However, the study may be of interest to women who need to make informed decisions on how to proceed with the management of a miscarriage.

Less Invasive

For many women, the idea of waiting for a natural miscarriage is painful. Knowing that the pregnancy you still carry can no longer be the child you yearned for is unbearable for most. This is even true for those women who in general opt for a more natural, less invasive approach to all things medical. For this reason, many women accept the idea of a D&C as a quick and merciful end to a traumatic experience.

However, this study lends strength to the theory that most women who miscarry will be able to complete the process on their own, without any medical intervention within the specific time frame of two weeks. In cases where ultrasound technology finds a woman has miscarried before any symptoms appear, the process may take a bit longer. In other words, you can consider how you feel about waiting for this time frame to elapse—2 weeks or perhaps a touch longer—in comparison with opting for an immediate medical intervention. Of course, the bottom line always involves discussing your concerns with your physician.

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