D&C - what happens & ttc?

[maybe baby]

After years of ttc (unexplained infertility) I finally did through ivf only to be told at 12 weeks the baby has down syndrome. I am booked to have a d & c which I have never had before. How long is the bleeding after a d & c and is this like a normal period? Is this when my cycle starts again? Is it possible to conceive the month you have a d & c? Does anyone know if it's easier to conceive even after only being pregnant for 12 weeks or am I looking at going back to ivf again? Sorry about all the questions but these forums are so great for the information and responses I'm sure you'll all have some really informative answers for me. Thank you.

[DoulaRobyn]

I can only speak from my own experiences here.... I have had two d&c's, one after my miscarriage and one after I had my last child. Both times I was nervous but the hospital staff were lovely. I had pains afterwards like period pain but they weren't too bad. The bleeding was like a period and for me it lasted 7-12 days - like my usual period time, it went from bright blood to small amounts of brown blood. (sorry for tmi, but it is good to feel prepared I think.)

I found for me it was easy to concieve after my first d&c. Prior I had been ttc for 3 years and had fallen pregnant only to lose the baby at 14 weeks - this is why I had the d&c. My periods came 28 days after my d&c and I had three cycles and then I was pregnant, this one stayed and I had two more pregnancies in quick sucession. At the time the dr told me that it would be easier for me to concieve with a 'clean uterus'.

I wish you luck with your pregnancies to come. Sorry for your difficulties thus far. *sends positive vibes your way*. I hope you feel better soon.

[matalee]

Hi maybe baby, firstly i'm so sorry you have to go through this

I, too, have unexplained infertility & while taking a break from TTC with ART we fell pg on our own, only for find out at 10 weeks that we had lost the baby.

I'm the biggest chicken when it comes to op's & the like but I realised afterwards that I didn't have anything to worry about, the actual d&c takes about 10 mins so I was under general for about 1/2 hour. I, like DoulaRobyn said, had period like pains afterwards, they told me it was my uterus contracting causing the pain & gave me something to help with it. I had really minimal bleeding, more like spotting, but it lasted about 10 days (I usually bleed quite heavy with af & only for 5 days so it wasn't like a normal af for me).

When you have your d&c is when I would count day one of your cycle, but it most probably won't be a normal cycle, my 1st cycle was 21 days & usually i have a 28 day cycle. There's differing opinions on whether you can start TTC straight away, so really it's up to you.

As with falling pg again soon after, I'm really really hoping that's true for me & you. I've heard that once you have been pg you're body has a 'memory' so it is easier & also easier soon after a d&c because like Doula Robyn said everything is clean.

we both get a soon.

[earthfairy]

I just wanted to give you lots of these

[Kachow]

After years of ttc (unexplained infertility) I finally did through ivf only to be told at 12 weeks the baby has down syndrome. I am booked to have a d & c which I have never had before. How long is the bleeding after a d & c and is this like a normal period? Is this when my cycle starts again? Is it possible to conceive the month you have a d & c? Does anyone know if it's easier to conceive even after only being pregnant for 12 weeks or am I looking at going back to ivf again? Sorry about all the questions but these forums are so great for the information and responses I'm sure you'll all have some really informative answers for me. Thank you.

Im so sorry you have to go through this.

I conceived my daughter through IVF, but had to have a D&C at 18 weeks due to no heart beat.

I had my D&C in Jan 08 and was told that I had to wait 1 cycle before I could do another FET. We waited and did a FET in March but it was a BFN. I was told by my FS that theres no clinical evidence to suggest that you can fall pregnant easier after a D&C. The percentages still stay the same as a normal IVF/FET cycle.

Its now May and we are still trying to get a BFP. Please dont give up im sure it will happen for you.