NHS waiting lists for coil fitting causing unplanned pregnancies

[BlueKittens]

AIBU to think that the long waiting lists to fit the (Mirena) coil are causing unplanned pregnancies? Obviously sex and failed alternative contraception is a big factor too, but don’t women have the right to timely contraception provision?

I’m currently a few months pregnant after twice being unable to secure an appointment for a coil fitting at my surgery. There wasn’t even a waiting list for appointments, I was told to come back to check if any appointments were opening up for three months time- and both times was told to come back again. GP won’t put me on pill due to risk and depot caused a reaction. DH refusing vasectomy as he knows someone who suffers chronic ball ache.

Lucky for me it’s a happy little accident, but I can’t help feeling this might be quite devastating for some women.

It’s not just my surgery. Two friends at different surgeries have just told me they have had difficulties getting an appointment too. One is waiting 5 weeks for hers and the other is on a waiting list for when an appointment becomes available, has been told a 3+ month wait. The problem is with the high level of demand and the fact that only one person in each of our surgeries can fit it.

Nevermind the personal costs of unwanted pregnancies- they cost the NHS too in terms of abortions, care etc. It just seems crazy to me, but I guess it’s not a priority in the overstretched NHS.

Ummm no it’s not casusing unwanted pregnancy. Unprotected sex when waiting for the appointment causes the unwanted pregnancy.....

Ever heard of condoms?
The pill?
No sex?

Shock horror but if you choose to have unprotected sex you might end up pregnant, come on they teach this stuff at school ffs

Although NHS waiting lists can be an issue in certain areas, I do think people need to accept a certain amount of responsibility. It's not ideal you can't get an appointment, but it's not the nhs's fault you got pregnant while waiting. Didn't you use condoms or another type of contraception, or did your contraception fail?

I’ve has two coils (copper) and I’ve never bothered going to the GP for the reasons you describe. I go to the community sexual health clinic and I’ve always had an appointment within a week. Do you have a clinic local to you? Might be worth looking into it assuming you still want a coil after baby’s here. The clinic fitted mine at 4 weeks postpartum (earliest it can be done apparently).

You took the words out of my mouth, PinkHeart.

@PinkHeart5914 the reason a number of woman have the coil fitted is because they can't go on the pill. So the only alternative is condoms. (No sex us an option but not if you want to stay in the relationship.)

Is nothing a matter of personal responsibility anymore? If you don't want to get pregnant you do whatever it takes to prevent it. End of.

You are joking right?
Your adult dh won't take responsibility for contraception because he knows someone with "chronic ball ache "... So you want to blame the already seriously under pressure NHS and doctors for the sake the pair of you didn't bother to use contraception and so you are pregnant...
Words fail me... Except have you ever heard of personal responsibilities

Thousands of women are managing their contraception without a Mirena. It’s convenient, but not the only means of avoiding a pregnancy.

I waited a month to have mine replaced, they couldn't find the strings for the existing one to remove it so I had to have a scan and then make another GP appointment followed by an appointment at the sexual health clinic. All in all I waited about 5 months to get a new working coil in place. I managed to avoid getting pregnant (judicious use of condoms!)

Yes it is frustrating to wait but alternative forms of contraception are available in the meantime.

Sorry OP that you feel this way. But perhaps you could read this thread.
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/3369522-To-leave-the-NHS

It’s people like you who make me want to leave the nhs. The nhs is not responsible for forcing you to have sex without using protection. If you google ‘private gp services’ you’ll find a surgery who can fit your coil probably by Wednesday. And even if it costs a few hundred pounds it will still be microscopically cheaper than a baby.

Why didn’t you use condoms while you were waiting for your appointment?
If you’re not currently covered by any contraception, you need to use an alternative form of contraception (or abstain) in the meantime.

I think if the NHS want to save money they would be biting the hands off anyone who wanted a coil.

Having said that I do think contraception is a personal responsibility, and I say that with my 4th baby in my arms who is only here because I couldn’t get a coil appointment for 6 months. I had to cancel the day before due to my period not showing up and a positive pregnancy test. It really was unbelievingably difficult to secure that appointment. DH has been waiting for a vasectomy for 1.5 yrs too. Could of course go private, would have been cheaper than the baby

No sex us an option but not if you want to stay in the relationship.

Oh yes, heaven forbid your DP might have to do without PIV sex for a few months...

There are many reasons a lady would choose a coil other than not being able to take a pill. The combined pill is quite strict in terms of who can have, however there are several progesterone only methods (with various options to the progestogen used to help find something to suit) that are safe for the vast majority of ladies. If you have to wait for a coil then it is your responsibility to avoid a pregnancy either by a quick start bridging method or abstinence. NHS is not responsible.

No sex us an option but not if you want to stay in the relationship

I’m pretty sure my DH wouldn’t end our marriage due to having to abstain from PIV sex while I was awaiting a coil fitting due to us not wanting any more children. Especially if, like the OP’s DH, he was also refusing a vasectomy.

What PinkHeart said. There are many methods to avoid unplanned pregnancy, lots of which can be bought in 5 mins at a pharmacy.

NHS waiting lists don’t cause unplanned pregnancies, irresponsible people do. Contraception failures are very rare, and there is always the option of the MAP.

Easy answer is no glove no love.
The NHS is not responsible for your shagging, that is down to you and your OH and nobody else and you cannot relinquish your responsibility to be careful

Condoms. Blow jobs/cunnilingus. Toys. Handjobs for both partners.

Lots of options.

God forbid your partner would ever have with ED and take PIV off the table m

I think the insurance requirements covering the insertion and removal of coils changed several years ago, and as a result many doctors have stopped covering themselves to do the procedure. Or so I vaguely remember being told when I enquired why it was so hard for me to get a new coil after my first pregnancy when it was easy to get an appointment first time around.

Marie Stopes and similar can do you one privately for about £60 if you really can't wait. Much cheaper than a baby.

Cap.

Female condom.

Patch.

Sterilisation since your partner won’t go for the snip.

Injection.

Loads of options. Ffs.

If a relationship is going to fail because you can't have sex for a few months then it's probably not a great relationship to begin with.

Right now, due to medical reasons, my DH and I are on strictly no PIV until December. Funnily enough, there's plenty of other things we can do until then.

Don't blame the NHS for unwanted pregnancies, blame the government for budget cuts and the like. Use family planning clinics rather than the GP if you have one locally available.

I'm currently waiting for a scan to try and look for my missing mirena. I've been waiting almost a month so far. In the meantime, we can either not have PIV sex or we can use condoms. It's not rocket science...

YADBU

This is a wind up, right?

You have to take responsibility for your own actions though.
Unprotected sex causes unplanned pregnancy!

I've got a fitting booked via my gp for two weeks time, it could have been a different date to correspond with the start of my period. I was given a choice of days of the week to fit around childcare. I was told to avoid PIV until after fitting as I'm not currently taking the pill etc. It really wasn't the disaster zone OP describes.