How you prepare

Dilation and curettage can be done in a hospital, clinic or your provider's office, usually as an outpatient procedure.

Before the procedure:

• Follow your provider's instructions on limiting food and drink.
• Arrange for someone to take you home because you may be drowsy after the anesthesia wears off.
• Allow time for the procedure and a few hours of recovery afterward.

In some cases, your provider might start dilating your cervix a few hours or even a day before the procedure. This helps your cervix open gradually and is usually done when your cervix needs to be dilated more than in a standard D&C, such as during pregnancy terminations or with certain types of hysteroscopy.

To promote dilation, your provider may use a medication called misoprostol (Cytotec) — given orally or vaginally — to soften the cervix. Another dilation method is to insert a slender rod made of laminaria into your cervix. The laminaria gradually expands by absorbing fluid in your cervix, causing your cervix to open.