D&Cs are commonly performed for the diagnosis of gynecological conditions leading to 'abnormal uterine bleeding';[5] to resolve abnormal uterine bleeding (too much, too often or too heavy a menstrual flow);[3] to remove the excess uterine lining in women who have conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome (which cause a prolonged buildup of tissue with no natural period to remove it); to remove tissue in the uterus that may be causing abnormal vaginal bleeding,[2] including postpartum retained placenta;[6] to remove retained tissue (also known as retained POC or retained products of conception) in the case of a missed or incomplete miscarriage;[4] and as a method of abortion that is now uncommon.[2] In contrast, D&C remains 'standard care' for missed and incomplete miscarriage in many countries despite the existence of alternatives currently used for abortions.