Treatment During the Second Trimester
Often if you are miscarrying in the second trimester, you have not had any warning that an ultrasound will show a baby with no heartbeat or that you will suddenly go into labor. If bleeding precedes your diagnosis, then you may be allowed to miscarry naturally if you are less than 15 weeks along. Here are the four options available during the second trimester.
Natural Miscarriage (not common unless 15 weeks or less)
D&C (for babies up to about 15 weeks in growth size, regardless of how far along your pregnancy progressed.)
D&E (for babies over 15 weeks in growth size, but less than 24 weeks, which is the cutoff for most US states and other countries' age of viability. Once the age of viability has passed, induction to labor and deliver is required. Find out why here.)
Induction (for babies over 15 weeks in growth size or beyond the pregnancy age of viability for your country, state, or region). You will be given a drug called Pitocin to start contractions. Usually you will also be given a very strong round of pain medication and an epidural to avoid pain during the labor and delivery. The induction may only take a few hours, or can take as long as two days if your body resists the early labor. This can go smoothly or become a nightmare. It will take all your courage and strength to get through it.
Complete Descriptions of What Happens During a D&C, D&E, or Natural Miscarriage