How long does the dilation and curettage take?

About 20 mins: The first step, dilation of the uterus, usually takes about 10 minutes. The second step, hysteroscopy (use of a endoscope that allows the physician to examine inside the uterus) and then curettage (scraping or scooping with a special tool called a curette to remove the contents of the uterus) takes an additional 10 minutes.

10-20 minutes: It takes longer to prepare than to do. Once you've received a light anesthetic (or local injection) it's under 5 minutes to measure the length of the cervix and dilate it. The curettage part takes another 3-5 minutes. If it's not pregnancy related, a camera (hysteroscopy) can be used to visualize the uterine cavity and this part can more than double the amount of time.