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These message boards have been so helpful to me as I've been going through my IVF process and the confusion and grief of a miscarriage that I wanted to post my experience that I think could help other women in the same situation.

Shortly after I successfully became pregnant with twins I was advised that there wasn't normal fetal development and that I should excpect to miscarry. I went in for my last ultrasound to confirm just one more time and then I knew the inevitable was going to happen. I was at 9 weeks and there no fetus, heartbeat, etc.

Doctor advised my to take Cytotec to induce a miscarriage rather than an invasive D&C since I want to continue trying. I was scared to death of this drug as I try to stay away from medication as much as possible and prefer more natural methods. After reading some horrible stories and hearing from friends that they took it and it didn't work so they still needed to do a D&C, I was very confused.

When I finally realized that I had not other choice and that to move on I really needed to do this. So, here's the experience I had when I took the Cytotec:

11:30am - Inserted 4 Cytotec tablets vaginally. This is where I had my breakdown emotionally because I knew what I was about to do and there was no turning back. I also took my prescribed pain medicine at this time. I learned from another message board that if you wait for cramping to start it's too late.
2 p.m. - Started feeling mild cramping and bachache and was had crazy chills and shivers even though it was 80 in the house and outside.
3 pm - took another pain pill. Directions said it was ok every 4 hours and I didn't want them to wear off.
3:30 - started bleeding. If I was standing up I could feel it flowing out of me. I didn't know if I should walk around to keep it coming or lay down. I chose to lay down ;-) It felt too gross.
5:30pm - Decided to sit on the toilet for a while and this is when I felt something the size of a small plum pass. It didn't hurt but it just slid out and took me by surprise.

The rest of the day the bleeding stayed pretty constant and I would feel me passing clots if I sat on the toilet sometimes. The chills went away and then I got hot. I think that's just a side affect of the meds.

Overall, it wasn't bad. I think that keeping on top of the pain medication is the key so the cramping is never unmanageable.

I went to the Doctor for a Rogham shot the next day and when she did an ultrasound she said I passed it all and that there was just a thick lining of tissue that still had to pass and I would bleed that out.

It's such a personal decision and there are pros and cons to each choice. There is no right or wrong way to deal with a miscarriage. My feeling was that I needed to protect my uterus and I couldn't afford the chance of the risks of a D&C so I had no choice but to give the non-invasive route a try. Then at least I knew I did all I could.

I hope I've helped someone out there make their decision easier. Everyone has a different experience but it is possible for everything to go OK!