"Much of what we know about the psychological impact of a D&C (a dilation and curettage procedure to remove tissue from the inside of the uterus) comes from research that tracks symptoms- depression, anxiety, and post- traumatic stress-after pregnancy loss (Lok & Neugebauer, 2007; Farren et al., 2016). These findings matter. They confirm that this experience can be emotionally destabilizing."
"What is far less often named is the experience itself-how a D&C can quietly change a person's relationship to their body, how it can disrupt a basic sense of safety, and how a loss that is handled medically can still feel psychologically unfinished (Kersting & Wagner, 2012). Because these internal shifts are rarely talked about ahead of time, many people are reassured that everything went as expected, while they feel, at the same time, altered in ways they cannot quite articulate."
Knowledge about psychological impact is largely based on tracking depression, anxiety, and post‑traumatic stress following pregnancy loss. A D&C can quietly change a person's relationship to their body, disrupt a basic sense of safety, and leave a loss feeling psychologically unfinished despite medical resolution. These internal shifts are rarely discussed beforehand, leaving many people reassured yet internally altered in ways they cannot articulate. Fertility journeys often involve repeated hope and loss, with invasive tests and procedures becoming routine. A D&C is one of the most intrusive experiences in this journey and can be intensely psychologically disruptive because of what it requires mentally and physically.
Read at Psychology Today
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