Pregnancy loss with GS

[Vanessa]

Hello
This is my first post to a board like this, so please excuse me if I do things wrong, or post in the wrong place.

We have just found out that my GS lost our baby. We are of course very sad. But are not 100% clear about when a miscarriage is counted as a miscarriage.

This was unexpected as she was 21 weeks pregnant, and it was at a routine ultrasound that it showed no heartbeat. Baby is expected to have died a few weeks earlier.

It states in our contract, that we need to pay her up until the miscarriage. But when does the miscarriage actually start.

1. At the time of the baby passing away?
2. At the time the passing away was discovered?
3. At the time, the baby and POC are discharged from her body.

She is currently still carrying our baby, and will see the doctor next week, to have everything removed.

Can you explain if this will be done like a normal D&C?

Thank you
Vanessa

[jknyc]

I'm so sorry for your loss.

I don't know the answers to your contractual questions, but I can answer what the procedure will be like. It is called a D&E, not D&C, because of how far along she is. The procedure will take place over 2-3 days, most likely two days if she has delivered a child vaginally before. The first day, the doctor will insert laminaria into her cervix to gently dilate the cervix to 2-3 cm. The laminaria insertion can hurt quite a lot. She should ask the doctor performing the procedure for a painkiller prescription before, if possible. The second day procedure will be done under general in the OR and will take 20-60 minutes. It should only be done by a very experienced practitioner (and this is most likely someone with experience performing second-trimester abortions, in additiont to D&E's because of miscarriage) to reduce the possibility of uterine perforation.

I believe it counts as a miscarriage until the point at which it would be considered a stillbirth--i.e. the point of viability in your state. In NY, where I live, that is 24 weeks.

Again, I am very sorry for your loss. Please feel free to post with other questions--and for support.

[Guest]

I am very new to this entire process, but I am very sorry for your loss!

-Kay