Risks

Complications from dilation and curettage are rare. However, there are risks, including:

• Perforation of the uterus. This occurs when a surgical instrument pokes a hole in the uterus. This happens more often in women who were recently pregnant and in women who have gone through menopause.

  Most perforations heal on their own. However, if a blood vessel or other organ is damaged, a second procedure might be needed to repair it.

• Damage to the cervix. If the cervix is torn during the D&C, your provider can apply pressure or medicine to stop the bleeding or can close the wound with stitches (sutures). This might be prevented if the cervix is softened with medication before the D&C.

• Scar tissue on the uterine wall. Rarely, a D&C results in development of scar tissue in the uterus, a condition known as Asherman's syndrome. Asherman's syndrome happens most often when the D&C is done after a miscarriage or delivery.

  This can lead to unusual, absent or painful menstrual cycles, future miscarriages and infertility. It can often be treated with surgery.

• Infection. Infection after a D&C is rare.

Contact your health care provider if after a D&C you have:

• Bleeding that's heavy enough that you need to change pads every hour
• Lasting dizziness or lightheadedness
• Fever
• Cramps lasting more than 48 hours
• Pain that gets worse instead of better
• Foul-smelling discharge from the vagina