Dilation and Curettage (D&C) is a type of surgery used to diagnose and treat problems with woman's uterus.

During a D&C, a doctor will do these things:

• Give the woman anesthesia
• Slowly dilate (widen) the cervix
• Put a curette (a spoon-shaped tool with a sharp edge) into the uterus through the cervix
• Use the curette to take out parts of the lining of the uterus.

A D&C can be used for many reasons. For example:

• To take tumors out of the uterus
• To diagnose problems like cancer of the uterus
• To take out tissues from a fetus or placenta, after a miscarriage or a medical abortion, which will stop bleeding