i've come to realise that not many of my girlfriends know what a d&c is. so i hope the information below will help.

what it is:
d&c stands for dilation & curettage (dilation:enlarging or opening, curettage: scraping or removing the contents of the uterus)

why it is done:
to remove the fetus (if a miscarriage has occurred) and tissue remains to lower the risk of infection and bleeding. the option of waiting for the body to expel the fetus and remains on its own (depending on the doc's recommendations) is possible. however, this involves waiting and not knowing exactly when the body will begin the process (lower abdomen cramping usually signals the starting point, as the body is trying to push the fetus out)

how it is done:
general anesthesia is administered. the cervix is dilated (enlarged or widened) using dilators. when the cervix is sufficiently dilated, a curette (a thin spoon like instrument) is inserted into the uterus to scrape clean the lining. sometimes, a vacuum is also used to suck up any fetal tissues remaining in the uterus. d&c is a minor procedure which takes about 15 minutes to perform. there will be a need for an observation period after the procedure though (this is about 2 hours).

before the procedure:
no food and drink allowed 6 hours prior to the d&c.

after the procedure:
cramping and bleeding will follow up until 2 weeks later. antibiotics are given to fend off infection.

well, my personal experience was i had the best 15 minutes of sleep in my entire life! i didn't feel nor remember anything. i was itching to leave after 1/2 an hour (but of course they kept my there for the full 2 hours). i was just lying on the bed with nothing to do. i was so bored. also i was dying to eat chicken rice. i was so so hungry.

the information given above is what i know about d&c. of course there is the wonders of google to find out more about the procedure (not forgetting your own doctor!)