# What does ERPC mean?



## Amberg1

I've seen some people use the abbreviation ERPC but have no idea what it means. Can someone fill me in?


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## MrsN

Hi hun, it means Evacuation of Retained Products of Conception. I had mine today. xx


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## blueeyedgirl1

As MrsN said, it's an evacuation of retained products of conception, which means the remains of a pregnancy are removed from a woman's uterus if she hasn't miscarried it (all) naturally. It's a surgical procedure, general anaesthetic.


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## Reb S

If you're offered it under local, I would advise saying no. It's quick and good recovery, but I found it painful both mentally and physically.


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## fides

wow - talk about some sterile words! If someone had referred to my unborn baby as the "retained products of conception," i would have screamed!

i am so sorry for anyone who has had to go through that.


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## ljo1984

i had an ERPC with my 1st pregnancy. i cringed when the dr refered to my baby as a "product of conception". actually i burst out into tears after!! she was a baby not a product! i had mine under general, i couldnt imagian having to go through that under local, so sorry you went through it Reb. xx


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## pinkflamingo

I have always thought that it's a horrible term. Medical terms can be. Missed miscarriages can be referred to as missed abortions, but I think the guidelines are for medical staff not to use this anymore.

On my first ever FS appointment letter they informed me that they had changed the name of the clinic from 'Assisted conception clinic' to 'Infertility Clinic'!! Way to go on making women feel good about themselves. Assisted conception I can live with, but infertility??!!!

It all seems so thoughtless to use these terms to a woman who is going through hell already.

xx


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## Eternal

its also reffered to as a D&C although i actually think its slightly different, ercp you suction i beleive whereas the D&C is more scraping etc. 

Its not a nice thought at all, but for me it was easier to deal with than going through a full miscarriage, i was 11 weeks and couldnt even think about it. i was so scared. the ercp helped me in that way. not a nice name but as we say most medical terms are not.


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## blueeyedgirl1

I think everyone's different. I'm very right-brained, very scientific but also suffer from anxiety & depression. Referring to my baby during the "heat of the moment" as products of conception actually helped me. I compartmentalised it as a scientific term, and numbed my brain a bit into thinking "this isn't my baby anymore, I've already lost him/her, this is just left-over". It wasn't until after the anaesthetic effect had worn off about 48 hours later that my emotional brain kicked in and I started to process the loss and start grieving. 
But I've got a medical background having gone to Uni for a couple of years to do Microbiology and having also spent time working as a vet nurse. I think about life in a very scientific way.
Had the nurses & doctors referred to it as an evacuation of the bits of my baby, I would have absolutely lost it.
:(


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## Niamh22

I had a d&c with my first mc as it was classed a missed mc due to sack being there but no baby, i always thought they ment the same thing as told me that it was like using a vacuum cleaner doctors do have lovely ways of describing not great bed side manners


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## pinkflamingo

i thought the D & C was used more for incomplete miscarriages. I know that they can use suction in the D & C but then they can scrape aswell to remove any tissue etc. I think ERPC is used more for complete mmc and is suction only.

I may be wrong and apologies if I am, but that is my understanding.

xx


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## Niamh22

yeah that could be right as that timethey scanned me and was only sack then they scanned a week later same thing so took me in for a d&c that day incase was eptopic. so that makes sense


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## diverdi

***Warning*** I'll try to describe the procedures so don't look if you are sensitive or easily offended!

D&C stands for dilation and curettage. Dilation is the opening of the cervix, which happens in this and ERPC. The surgeon uses a series of blunt metal pokers (For want of a better word) and inserts them into the cervic, starting with the smallest, until the cervix is open enough to use the larger instruments. A curette is a looped metal scraper the scrapes out the lining of the womb.
D&C is hardly ever used anymore, and it was more commonly used to remove the lining for women who had heavy periods more than in miscarriages. However it ia a more familiar term so sometimes it is better understood than erpc.

In an ERPC the cervix is dilated again, then the surgeon uses a plastic suction tube to suck everything out, but them also move it in a scraping movement all over the lining to try to make sure nothing is left behind.

The term abortion was the original medical term for miscarriage, however it got taken over to mean aborting a healthy pregnancy so the powers that be decided to use the term miscarriage instead.


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## SassyLou

fides said:


> wow - talk about some sterile words! If someone had referred to my unborn baby as the "retained products of conception," i would have screamed!
> 
> i am so sorry for anyone who has had to go through that.

They really are awful, sterile words aren't they.
I had a MMC at 8 weeks in August, I opted to wait miscarry naturally at home so never had any contact with Doctors only the EPAU midwives who were amazing.

I became pregnant again after my first AF after loosing the baby. However last Thursday night we found out our baby had died I was 16 almost 17 weeks pregnant, he'd only died sometime during that week. I went back on the Friday for a second confirmation scan. Again the midwives were great, they advised me to go for a medical induction as it could take my body a long time to go in labour. The doctor came for me to sign the consent form for the medication I would need and constantly referred to our baby as 'the product' I could have gladly punched her. I was induced on Sunday and delivered our beautiful son at 1pm on Sunday, he was a perfectly formed, beautiful baby and most certainly not a product.

xxx


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## pinkflamingo

sassylou I just wanted to say that I am so sorry for your losses 

Hugs to you hun

xx


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## SassyLou

pinkflamingo said:


> sassylou I just wanted to say that I am so sorry for your losses
> 
> Hugs to you hun
> 
> xx

Thanks for that, it means ever so much, it really does.

Both myself and my husband feel that people need to be educated more with regards to miscarriage. I'm determined that something good will come out of Archie's death. I'm definitely going to have a word at the hospital when I go on the 14th with regards to terminology. And have also been asked to be on a focus group looking at improving maternity services at our local hospital, which I will do when I'm feeling a little stronger. Have to say though the midwives were amazing. 

My sweet boy was perfect, they could find nothing wrong with him. It amazed me that rather than feeling devastated the moment he was born I just felt an incredible amount of love for him in the same way I had when my other children were born. We spent quite a few hours with him. And both my husband and myself said it was as positive an experience as it could be under the circumstances. Mainly because of the midwives. 

I just don't see why my lovely boy and babies like him should be referred to as products, he's my baby, he's brother to my boys and most certainly not a product.

Thanks for replying 

xxx


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## pinkflamingo

SassyLou said:


> pinkflamingo said:
> 
> 
> sassylou I just wanted to say that I am so sorry for your losses
> 
> Hugs to you hun
> 
> xx
> 
> And have also been asked to be on a focus group looking at improving maternity services at our local hospital, which I will do when I'm feeling a little stronger.Click to expand...

I think that is great. After experiencing a miscarriage I too feel that I would like to somehow offer help to others who go through this. It would be great to know that I could help someone in some way, however small, whilst they are going through such an awful thing.

You will make a difference by being in the focus group and that is a wonderful thing hun. Something good will have come out of all of this, and you will help others in memory of your babies.

I'm sending more hugs for you!! xxxx


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## Reb S

Oh SassyLou, I'm so sorry. Lots of hugs and you're amazing for being so brave x


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## lintu

:hugs: sassy lou xxxxxx


I had my ERPC, Monday my bean was 9 weeks :cry: the nurse appologised for the name of the procedure when she handed me the leaflets, id always known it as a D&C and still refer to is as such, the other is just awfull xxxx altho it is a different procedure.

:hugs: to everyone who suffers a loss, its the most horrendous thing I have ever experienced in my life, the urge to be pregnant again is maddness, whilst we have agreed to NTNP I feel like i just want the bleeding to stop and get back on the hourse (so to speak) i'm a little bit of a control freak and not being able to control my body is driving me nuts xxx


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## SassyLou

lintu said:


> :hugs: sassy lou xxxxxx
> 
> 
> I had my ERPC, Monday my bean was 9 weeks :cry: the nurse appologised for the name of the procedure when she handed me the leaflets, id always known it as a D&C and still refer to is as such, the other is just awfull xxxx altho it is a different procedure.
> 
> :hugs: to everyone who suffers a loss, its the most horrendous thing I have ever experienced in my life, the urge to be pregnant again is maddness, whilst we have agreed to NTNP I feel like i just want the bleeding to stop and get back on the hourse (so to speak) i'm a little bit of a control freak and not being able to control my body is driving me nuts xxx

:hugs:


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## Moonboots

I feel sorry for all the Mums to be that had an ERPC after a miscarriage. The way that the baby was referred to as a product of conception.
I actually had a what they called an ERPC after the birth of all 3 of my children. Straight after the births, my cervix closed right up before the placenta had time to come out. 
I think that ERPC in this case is exactly the correct terminology but certainly do think another name for the treatment of a retained miscarriage should be used.
I do hope that all the Mums to be on here were more successful in following attempts to have a baby. Keep positive !!
X


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