If a woman says she’s had a curettage, does that mean that she had an abortion?

Not necessarily. Dilation and curettage (D&C) is a procedure that involves stretching open the cervix with medication and/or instruments called dilators and then removing all or part of the uterine lining — the endometrium — with a spoon-shaped instrument called a curette. D&C is done for many reasons. It may be done to:

  • perform an abortion
  • remove remains of the placenta after childbirth or miscarriage
  • diagnose or rule out endometrial cancer
  • diagnose or remove suspected polyps
  • diagnose and treat problems with heavy or abnormal bleeding
  • follow up on Pap or other tests that indicate abnormalities in the uterus