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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think they shouldn't have made me take a pregnancy test.

123 replies

ItsNotPossible · 02/04/2014 20:13

This is light hearted because I do understand rules are rules, but.......

I was in hospital today to have a minor operation. Beforehand I was asked if I could be pregnant. I replied no definitely not and the nurse ticked the form happy with my answer.
Twenty minutes later she returned to me with a pee pot and said I needed to take a test. Not really a problem, it's just a quick pee in a pot.

However:

I am 54 and haven't had a period for 3 years 4 months.

I November I completed 8 weeks of daily radiotherapy to my pelvic area which would have left me infertile.

I was in hospital to have an op to re-open the top of my vagina and entrance to my cervix as the radiotherapy had fused them together. I didn't have sex with my DP during the 8 weeks of chemo and radiotherapy because I was too ill. That finished in November, we still haven't been able to have sex since completion of treatment because I was fused Grin

All of this they were aware of. How much blummin evidence of not being pregnant does one need.

OP posts:
Theas18 · 02/04/2014 22:17

Aww sorry you've been through all that.

My 84yr old mum has just been started on thalidomide for myeloma, she's signed lots of stuff saying she won't get pregnant and apparently when it was first released for chemo the drug co wouldn't release it without preg tests from all women regardless of age!

Mind you maybe they've been speaking to dad, who sat up one morning and said he thought having a baby would be a nice idea !( he's 90 with dementia)

ACatCalledColin · 02/04/2014 22:18

Lol at mummytime.

I've heard the phrase "pregnant until proven otherwise" in medical settings before but I've always thought that in A&E that you would only need to have a pregnancy test if you came in with stomach pains as that could be a sign of ectopic pregnancy. I doubt they'd make you take a pregnancy test for a broken ankle. Grin

ACatCalledColin · 02/04/2014 22:22

*My hospital has an age range of 13 to 55 for asking.

I pity the 13 year olds, frankly. I hope they get treated with a bit more dignity than the 50+ group.*

I was just about to ask how young they start asking the "any chance you could be pregnant?" question.

Just out of curiousity, do you have anything in place to deal with girls younger than 13? Girls can obviously get their period younger than 13 - I started mine at 10 - which of course means they can get pregnant. So would you just not ask anyone younger than 13 or would that depend?

hoobypickypicky · 02/04/2014 22:26

I'm still wondering what happens to the women who flatly refuse, particularly those with very sound reason for doing so.

ICanSeeTheSun · 02/04/2014 22:29

I doubt they'd make you take a pregnancy test for a broken ankle.

that will need an xray, are xrays safe in pregnancy.

cafecito · 02/04/2014 22:30

with children it really would depend on the case I think. If a 12 year old came in with abdo pain, feeling faint, vomiting, weight gain.. I think it would be pretty reckless not to ask

cafecito · 02/04/2014 22:32

eg everyone with suspected appendicitis always has a B-hCG done from their bloods - always always (unless they are a man) as could so easily be ectopic pregnancy

cafecito · 02/04/2014 22:35

it's safer to test everyone who might be
if they refuse, well, they'd have to fully document that refusal - but sometimes they absolutely must do the test - there have been many cases where doctors relied on the patient knowing, believed their assurances - then disastrous consequences followed - imagine doing a hysterectomy on someone who is pregnant?
these things do happen, it's a measure designed to protect, not to offend

RuddyDuck · 02/04/2014 22:36

I recently had a gynae op, and the hospital insisted I do a pregnancy test before operating, even though I said it was impossible that I could be pregnant.

However, in the 3 months prior to the op I had two hysteroscopies, which presumably would have increased the risk of miscarriage had I been pregnant, but no-one even asked if I could be pregnant before I had those, let alone insisted on a pregnancy test.

Seems weird to me.

hoobypickypicky · 02/04/2014 22:41

"but sometimes they absolutely must do the test"

cafecito, no, no, no!

It's unethical and untrue to assert that. With few exceptions people in the UK have the right to refuse medical treatment. No wonder the NHS gets people's backs up if that's the view they try to take!

I have in the past been told that I "must" have a particular medical treatment (a blood test). I was horrified at the way the ward sister deliberately worded it and even more so at the way she tried to insist and pressure me when I declined.

This attitude is a failing in the NHS and should be challenged wherever it's met. (So I am). Grin

meditrina · 02/04/2014 22:45

I agree fully that hospitals need to be very, very careful.

But they shouldn't ask you (as they're not going to rely on your word), they should just ask to do the test and meet any demurrings with 'we have to test all female patients under age 55'.

But for people like OP, and some other posters here, who have a medical history which utterly rules out pregnancy, there should be an exception.

AskBasil · 02/04/2014 22:48

I'm sure the people who decide on these things think they haven't designed them to offend, only protect. But in any other walk of life, if you asked someone a question with the intention of totally ignoring the answer, it would be a reasonable assumption that you've designed the process to cause as much offence as possible. Grin

Lauren83 · 02/04/2014 22:48

I have had to do several despite being infertile, having no tubes and going in the early menopause at 30, I just do it as have spent 7 years wasting money peeing negative tests so I'm a good sport! X

VivaLeBeaver · 02/04/2014 22:48

They did ought to look at things on a more individual basis.

However I've also seen someone who wasn't tested before having a coil fitted. She didnt know she was pregnant, told them she wasn't. Having a coil fitted when pregnant isnt good.

Caitlin17 · 02/04/2014 22:56

But elf your lesbian friend's answer was completely irrelevant as to whether or not she might be pregnant.

It seems a minor thing to make a fuss about if asked. It will take far longer to argue why you won't do it than just do it. And the downside of doing it is ? None.

cafecito · 02/04/2014 23:00

yes, but if it's an emergency hen theywill do a pg test if indicated (if there's time), if it's surgical or indeed requires certain medication then they will need to know if there's a fetus in there. if it could be a ruptured ectopic, or there could be medication that is teratogenic.. etc etc.. they need to know..
I am by no means saying that 'sometimes treatment must happen' no absolutely not ,I am saying if that patient wants that treatment, if it is indicated and if they have fully consented - the surgeon will need to know what's going on and that they are not about to cause some horrific damage

rowna · 02/04/2014 23:05

I didn't realise it was routine when I went in for a minor op. I thought they were asking me because I was fat and had Ibs bloating and I felt really mortified by the request. They'd asked me if I could be pregnant and I said no. Then insisted on testing me. I hadn't had sex recently either. If they really need to cover their backs why not just say we need a urine sample as a routine, rather than question your sex life.

NurseyWursey · 02/04/2014 23:05

It's pointless, but imagine if you were and this does actually happen. I can imagine the Daily Mail headline now

cafecito · 02/04/2014 23:06

we're not talking about a blood test, or treatment - this is to rule out the possibility of causing harm to an unborn child or the mother, that's all. it's a piece of information and is in no way comparable to being told you must undergo treatment.

TeacupDrama · 02/04/2014 23:06

all guidelines for all professional bodies say you must not to any test without patient consent so you can't just test anyway

if a patient when pregnant says they do not want their blood tested for HIV you do not just run the test because you have their blood even if it is in patients best interests

neither can you just test a urine sample for pregnancy if patient says no if patient reported it you would be in very big trouble

neither can say you can't have xyz unless you consent to this test, when it has already been decided xyz is needed this applies in my own field of dentistry just as it does in medicine surgery midwifery etc, you can however refuse to do xyz just because patient wants it done and it would be harmful, unnecessary etc

however it does take some guts to turn round and say no to the doctors

there is no "have to" about any test whatsoever

ACatCalledColin · 02/04/2014 23:07

Just pee in a cup. Easy.

Noyoucantwatchpeppapig · 02/04/2014 23:08

I work in X-ray we have to exclude pregnancy in 12-55 year olds. We usually use last period dates, but also have a lot of other exceptions eg menopausal for one year plus, sterilised, hysterectomy etc. If people are happy to sign to say they aren't currently having sex (with men) we take that too. We only do pregnancy tests when we can't fit women into the protocol.
It is very awkward to ask 12 year olds these questions but done carefully and sensitively usually quite possible.
What happened to the OP is insensitive and they should of just accepted the multiple reasons for the impossibility of her being pregnant.

AskBasil · 02/04/2014 23:09

But why ask the question in the first place if the test is going to be carried out regardless of the answer?

What's the logic of that?

Can someone actually explain it, does anyone know?

TeacupDrama · 02/04/2014 23:10

cafecito that is true but the patient still has the right to refuse and that has to be respected

the OP was going for a minor op, she could have refused pregnancy test, they could not make minor op dependent on her taking the test though it would have to be written up as such that she had refused test etc etc

ACatCalledColin · 02/04/2014 23:11

Do you ask young girls if there's any chance they could be pregnant in front of their parents? If they are having sex I doubt very much they'd want their parents to know therefore you might not get a truthful answer.