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Original poster

To wonder why they ask for last period date in A&e

155 replies

User70 · 17/03/2019 11:30

I've recently been to A&e when I was being triaged the doctor asked when my last period was. I would have thought if you thought you were pregnant you would inform them.

OP posts:
cantbebotheredtoday · 17/03/2019 12:23

@viques I literally had not had sex since my last period so yes it would have been impossible for me to be pregnant. Also I have no issue and understand testing for pregnancy is necessary for various reasons. However, waiting till someone was just about to go in for surgery (which I was very nervous about) and demanding that they give a urine sample when they haven't had a drink or drop off food for 16 odd hours is unreasonable. They should have been more prepared. Should they have cancelled the surgery because I couldn't produce a sample, I would have been livid and firmly placed the blame on them.

I went into A and E with broken ankle and dislocation on the Monday night, had it reset that same night, was admitted and had surgery the Tuesday later on and then was discharged the Wednesday.

Natsku · 17/03/2019 12:27

I only get asked if I'm pregnant, not when my LMP was, and then only if I'm having an x-ray or MRI or whatever done. Though when I was pregnant I had a shit ton of x-rays done (x-ray guided procedures so they had to take a lot of x-rays in quick succession) which they clearly thought was fine enough Hmm

NannyRed · 17/03/2019 12:28

Not everyone knows or suspects they may be pregnant. Wait until you’re 55 and they don’t ask you before an X-ray.

OwlBeThere · 17/03/2019 12:30

I found out I was pregnant in a&e after a fall and nasty bang to the head. I couldn’t remember the date so they did a test and hey presto. Baby!

Isitmybathtimeyet · 17/03/2019 12:32

I took a pregnancy test in A&E once when I hadn't had sex in years, because they need to be able to record that they checked. It's not fair on the staff to be shitty about it. Although they can do a blood test pretty fast so if weeing is utterly out of the question, I would have expected them to do that straightaway rather than making a fuss.

Kintan · 17/03/2019 12:33

OP what is it that you find unreasonable about this question?

Gwenhwyfar · 17/03/2019 12:36

"I took a pregnancy test in A&E once when I hadn't had sex in years, because they need to be able to record that they checked."

This is a silly waste of time and money.

MissDemelzaCarne · 17/03/2019 12:37

Different trusts have different policies regarding this, at mine we just to just ask and record ‘Yes’or ‘No’ as a response to the question ‘is there any possibility you could be pregnant’ until someone said ‘No’ but came back for an appointment 2 weeks post op and gleefully told the surgeon her news. She was having non emergency surgery that could have been delayed until after the birth or until the second trimester so we now also ask about LMP and female patients are offered a pregnancy test and we record if they have declined.

The trust down the road had a female pt who said she wasn’t pregnant undergo gynae surgery where her spongy uterus was noted and in fact she was indeed pregnant but then lost the pregnancy and sued the trust. This trust now insists on a pregnancy test for all female patients regardless of their social history.

Sockwomble · 17/03/2019 12:39

I was asked this before a minor op. I said I'd not had one for 2 years and and was through the menopause. They said I didn't need to take a test but I would have to sign to say I had been asked due to only being 50.

Travellinghappy · 17/03/2019 12:41

People lie all the time to medical professionals for all sorts of reasons, the possibility of being pregnant is just one of them.

OftenHangry · 17/03/2019 12:47

@cantbebotheredtoday there is sometiomes bleeding during early pregnancy which may come at similar time as a period. My friend had no idea for 9 weeks, because she had a "weirdly light period, but why complain about nice change". Wasn't period. She genuinely thought she had a persistent cold or smth. No proper pregnancy symptoms, just tired and congested.

Bumply · 17/03/2019 12:49

No watchers of House?

"Everybody lies"

SpuriouserAndSpuriouser · 17/03/2019 12:58

Firstly because depending on what has brought you in to A&E, it could be relevant in diagnosing you. For example, abdominal pains could be appendicitis, or it could be an ectopic pregnancy. If you’re bleeding vaginally it could be an infection, or it could be a miscarriage. Staff need to know where you are in your menstrual cycle so they can assess your symptoms appropriately within that context. Also certain conditions become more or less likely after the menopause, so if you’re around that age then that might also be something they want to know.

Secondly, and as others have pointed out, it might be necessary to rule out a pregnancy before doing certain investigations or prescribing certain medications which could cause problems for a developing baby.

Honestly it just sounds like the doctor was doing their job.

ShabbyAbby · 17/03/2019 13:00

I've been asked if there's any chance I may be pregnant many, many times to do with medication, x rays, scans, operations etc. Never been asked specifically when my last period was (but then most of this is gynae so I think they know people have messed up periods).
Last time I went to the dentist they didn't ask and tried to force me to have an x-Ray even though my bump is definitely not subtle Hmm I was like "are you sure?" I don't think they'd looked at my notes (or my tummy)

Fluffycloudland77 · 17/03/2019 13:04

I never know because dh has had chemo so I don’t track them. I’ve had hca get shitty with me about it “you don’t know?” Honestly if I get pg the baby is the least of my problems.

I’m having monthly ones now due to medication 🤷🏻‍♀️

Mintychoc1 · 17/03/2019 13:08

I’m a GP, and you would not believe the number of people who discount the possibility or pregnancy purely because they don’t want to be pregnant.
I have had many conversations like this
Me - is there any chance you could be pregnant
Patient - no I definitely don’t want more kids
Me - but is there any chance you could be pregnant
Patient - no way, like I say, I’m don’t with all that, got kids , don’t want more
Me - are you sexually active
Patient - yes
Me - what contraception are you using
Patient - nothing, but there’s no way I want more kids
Me - when was your last period
Patient - no idea

And so it goes.
So you can’t rely on people to know what’s going on.

Stuckforthefourthtime · 17/03/2019 13:09

They made me do a test before an x-ray even though I told them there was no chance I could be pregnant. What a waste of time and resources! I wasn't happy

But plenty of women have thought there was no way they could be pregnant, and turned out to be so. Many of these these women would be devastated - and potentially bring a lawsuit - if it then turned out that their treatment actually harmed or risked damage to the fetus.

LaBelleSauvage · 17/03/2019 13:14

Knowing when a patient's LMP was is important diagnostically not just to check for pregnancy (which is also of course crucial).

Various conditions alter menstruation. Also some very serious conditions can mimic menstruation.

Doctors ask because they spend years and years in medical school and then further training, and they know more than you about what is relevant.

Just answer their questions- they're trying to help and care for you. When they ask you something there is a reason for it, even if you don't understand it.

ShowOfHands · 17/03/2019 13:19

I was on the pill and using condoms and hadn't missed a period. I was still pregnant.

And yes a woman might say she hasn't had sex but who's with her when she is asked? Her extremely religious parent? Abusive partner? DH on whom she is cheating? What if she hasn't had sex but was involved in foreplay? What if she doesn't know she's had sex? It is entirely possible for myriad reasons.

XXcstatic · 17/03/2019 13:20

I would have thought if you thought you were pregnant you would inform them

LOL.

I have this conversation several times a week:

Me: "Is there any chance you could be pregnant?"

Patient: "No"

Me: "Are you sexually active?"

Patient: "Yes"

Me: "Are you using contraception?"

Patient: "No"

Me: "So you could be pregnant, then?"

Patient: "Yes, but I don't think I am"

And that's why we ask for date of LMP.

NotAnotherNameChange99 · 17/03/2019 13:21

It's how I knew I was officially OLD - not being asked by X-ray dept if there was any chance I might be pregnant Grin

Gwenhwyfar · 17/03/2019 13:22

"But plenty of women have thought there was no way they could be pregnant, and turned out to be so. "

Not if they haven't had sex for a long time as in the case of one example given here.
Unless you think they were knocked over the head and raped and remembered nothing, which is not very common.

Gwenhwyfar · 17/03/2019 13:23

"And yes a woman might say she hasn't had sex but who's with her when she is asked? "

Shouldn't such a question be asked in private?

justasking111 · 17/03/2019 13:24

I was asked at 55 this question, was ever so flattered Grin

titchy · 17/03/2019 13:25

Not if they haven't had sex for a long time as in the case of one example given here.

Except they have no way of knowing if the patient is telling the truth. Ffs tests are cheaps and chips and take seconds. What's the issue?