Curettage is a procedure performed by the gynecologist in order to clean the uterus by removing the remains of an incomplete abortion or the placenta after normal delivery, or even being used as a diagnostic test, receiving the name of semiotic endocervical curettage.
Curettage as a form of treatment is a very painful procedure and therefore, throughout the procedure, the woman must be sedated or anesthetized so that she does not feel pain or discomfort. However, abdominal pain or discomfort may appear after the procedure and remain for about 5 to 7 days, so it is recommended to take analgesics, such as Dipyrone or Ibuprofen, to relieve symptoms.
How curettage is done
Uterine curettage should be performed by a gynecologist in a clinic or hospital, by introducing a curette, a surgical instrument, into the vagina to have a scraping of the walls of the uterus. Another form of curettage is the introduction of an aspiration cannula which is a vacuum mechanism, which sucks out all uterine contents.
Usually the doctor chooses to use both techniques in the same procedure, starting with the vacuum initially and then scraping the walls of the uterus, to remove the contents faster and safer. This procedure can be done under spinal anesthesia or sedation when it is used to clean up the remains of an abortion, for example.
This scraping of the walls of the uterus can be done with or without the previous dilation of the cervical canal depending on the size of the content that will be removed and throughout the procedure the doctor must observe the inside of the uterus on a screen. Generally, thickening rods are used until the curette enters and exits without injuring the cervix and the walls of the uterus.
The woman should be under observation for a few hours, but there is not always a need for hospitalization, unless some complication occurs. After the procedure the woman can go home, but she should not drive because she must be sleepy or have a headache due to sedation.
Is it possible to get pregnant after curettage?
After performing the curettage, the woman can get pregnant, even because ovulation happens normally, however it is recommended that the pregnancy only happens after 3 to 4 menstrual cycles, which is the time that the uterus takes to recover and, thus, if make it suitable for the implantation of the egg in its wall and embryonic development.
See more about pregnancy after curettage.
When is indicated
Uterine curettage can be indicated for the following situations:
- Removal of ovular remains in case of abortion; Removal of remains of the placenta after normal birth; To remove the egg without embryo; To remove uterine polyps; Retained or infected abortion, when the remains are there for more than 8 weeks; When the embryo does not develop correctly, as in the hydatidiform mole.
Before starting curettage, the doctor may recommend the use of a medicine called Misoprostol that induces uterine contraction, facilitating the removal of its contents. This care is especially indicated when it is necessary to remove the remains of an abortion with a fetus older than 12 weeks or longer than 16 cm.
The use of this medicine should only be carried out within the clinic or hospital, hours before starting curettage.
Find out what curettage recovery is like and the necessary care to follow.
