Has anyone had bad treatment at A&E when miscarriage happens?

[Tacoma17]

Me and my partner were over the moon when we found out I was pregnant. Unfortunately I had a few days of noticeable tummy ache and dismissed it as everyone said it isn’t uncommon, it can be everything growing and shifting around!

Today started bleeding heavily, guessed it was a miscarriage as I’ve had one before. I called 111 for advice and was advised to go to my local A&E, cause of covid-19 it’s understandable I had to shout from a distance why I was there,

I was seen quickly buy two ladies, I then gave them a urine sample, and they said I wasn’t pregnant I was confused it’s just a period, I was just 2 months late. I was then asked if I had proof of the pregnancy tests which I did. And they then went on to say Clear blue wasn’t the best best brand and the digital ones aren’t to be going by. Even though I had explained The THREE in the picture were separate tests line up from different shops and stages throughout the day.

They sent me for a scan.. I waited a hour in pure agony, waiting to bleed out and shit myself it gets like! To then have a lady come out and say she’s read my notes no point doing a scan and to go home a rest. At this point I was so upset my partner came and collected me.
Has anyone be treated the same? I’m feeling extremely low! I had no other information given to me just left to question myself. I’ve had more information given to me after getting my ears pierced 15 years ago. 🥺

I'm so sorry for your experience. I was about 10 or 11 weeks pregnant and had to go to A&E. They kindly rushed me through in 25 minutes and I was on the gyno ward that night, cervix examines and was now closed.
The next day I had to wait 6 hours just for a scan to see if baby had made it overnight so I could leave. A kind nurse had to fight and argue for me when the uncaring consultant insisted his bunch of students needed to internally examine me. He told me that I had to let them because "they need to learn!" I told them to use another Guinea pig because I just wanted to know if my baby was alive and a bunch of strangers looking at my cervix would not be able to tell me that.

At this point I just wanted to hear a heartbeat and go home or not hear one and go home and mourn.

Baby did hold on until 15+4 where clear labour started. This time they sent me straight away to the birthing suite where lovely midwives held my hand while I gave birth to the tiniest little angel.

Fuck that consultant though. He didn't give a shit about the patients feelings and trauma.

I had a slightly different experience in that I went to the EPU at about 14 weeks with a MC. I had put up with severe pains for hours and hours and it didn’t seem to be really progressing in any direction of stopping and finishing or anything, so I phoned EPU who said to come in. I had been bleeding a little but not majorly. Unfortunately for me and the poor doctor really as I got up onto the couch for examination and laid down, it all happened at once. She was so so nice to me and helped sort it all out and I had a scan after then went home.

I did have a horrible experience in gynae when I had 500ml of retained urine that I couldn’t wee out after a uterine emboilisation procedure and sent there by GP where I was catheterised in a little cubicle with curtains while women had miscarriages all around me. It was a really sad awful place

The people saying they can’t possibly imagine why anyone would go to A+E for a miscarriage and surely it makes sense to just stay at home... I assume you were all able to manage your miscarriages at home and that’s why you didn’t need A+E, but please don’t minimise other peoples experiences.

I went to A+E via ambulance in May for a miscarriage. I was 11 weeks, and could not leave the bathroom as everytime I stood I would just flood blood. My 16 month old couldn’t understand why mummy was crying and my husband was trying to monitor how I was doing. I suddenly felt very unwell and following a haemorrhage post birth with my daughter, excessive blood loss was freaking both my husband and I out. 111 sent an ambulance who upon attending decided I should be checked in hospital. I passed out in the ambulance, was given medication to slow my bleeding and finally had the gynae doctor perform a speculum examination where he was able to remove the pregnancy remains. I absolutely could not have managed what happened at home.

In response to the OPs question - the A+E staff were fairly caring. There was a nurse who was rubbing my shoulders as I was laid on the bed and tried reassuring me that sometimes people bleed in pregnancy and it’s not necessarily a miscarriage. I’d already had a scan the day before and knew my baby didn’t have a heartbeat, I’m certain she was trying to be kind but I really wish she hadn’t said that in the moment.

The gynae doctor was also very kind, and went through the leaflet with me to decide what would happen to the remains of my baby. For an awful experience, the staff were as kind as they could have been really.

My doctor informed me, it wasn't really a baby.

I was also told to go to A&E, they were trying to insist on sending an ambulance for me, but due to where we lived in took 4 minutes to walk and nearly 20 minutes (one way system) to get to.

I had to wait for over an hour and think I passed it in the A&E toilet. If I had the same knowledge I do now, I would have stayed at home and just gone and checked it had all passed.

It's really sad. I had a MC at 13weeks 10 years ago. I was home alone with my 2 young children, my XDH was on a late shift at work. The pain started and my lord, the blood loss... I was doubled over in my bathroom. My Dad lived 10 mins away at the time and I managed to call him.
He came, he called 999 because I was unconscious on the bathroom floor and the blood was pouring from me.
They took me into hospital, left me in a room for hours - discharged me the next day and aside from daily bloods for a few days ( to check HCG levels ) I was sent on my merry way.
No, reassurance from a DR. In fact, the DR wanted to do a vaginal examination whilst I was bleeding heavily and in terrible pain. I said no, a few days later I had a scan which confirmed.

I had a MC a couple of years ago too, in my own home, with my DP next to me. It was sad, yet much easier to process.
So sorry for all your losses...

It is just one of those things, yet doesn't harm anyone to be kind, supportive and listen to us.

So sorry for your loss OP I’ve also been shocked by some professionals’ attitudes to MC. It is different for everyone but for many of us it has a huge impact on our mental health. I don’t know why that’s so hard for some people to understand. Mine were years ago but I can still get very emotional thinking about them. I think the only person who actually responded to me as a human being was the anaesthetist before my ERPC. Everyone else was patronising and dismissive.

@DufferedUp

Why would you go to A&E for a miscarriage? There's nothing anyone can do to stop one. Sounds harsh but it's the reality (I've had 4 myself).

For the ERPC? Heavy bleeding?

So many replies on this thread are appalling.

“Dunno what you expected them to do”

To confirm it’s a MC and not something like a subchorionic haematoma or cervical irritation?

To make sure everything has passed?

To check whether it’s twins and only one has passed?

To obtain pain relief?

Is it really beyond some people’s imagination that a woman carrying a much wanted and loved pregnancy might be in a state of complete panic, never having been through something so distressing before, and seek medical advice?

Why are women expected to undergo potentially excruciating and emotionally devastating processes at home without any medical support?

I get a distinct sense that some of the worst offenders on here take a bit of delight in being so tough and stoic and labouring away at home without so much as half a paracetamol as it makes them feel better than the silly emotional women who stupidly and foolishly show up to a medical establishment unnecessarily.

Just because MC is common doesn’t make it any less terrifying or painful or upsetting for somebody going through it. If nothing can be done then explain that with compassion and care, give advice to manage at home, express your condolences and send her home. But nothing excuses acting like a cold hearted or mean dick to someone in the throes or losing their baby.

Disgusting.

I replied at the beginning of this thread, but reading over the answers from other women, I feel very upset at how they were treated.
I hope in all my years, and the women I've seen in A&E with MC/bleeding, I've never treated them like that. Maybe I can be more empathetic as I've had two very traumatic ectopic pregnancies which both started with bleeding (most recent one was a week ago, and currently recovering from surgery now)

I am so sorry to all those women who have had a terrible experience - it will make me be even more alert and empathetic of my actions when I get back to work
X

High 5 @Sharkerr

Couldn’t have said it better myself

Unfortunately there isnt anything they can do, except check you are ok internally after losing it. 1 in 4 pregnancies are miscarriages. Sometimes what is a big thing for you, isnt as big for someone else, and a and e do have life threatening cases coming in that they can do something about. Other than check you are ok, all they can do is send you home.

I was sent to a&e for miscarriage too because I was in so much pain, I think they needed to check it wasn’t ectopic. Lots of m/c are certainly not ‘like a period’ at later gestations. I still to this day maintain that the level of pain I felt was more intense than natural labour (I’ve given birth twice). The difference is of course it didn’t go on so long, but in terms of level of pain I would say it was on a par with being induced with the drip, and that was one of the worst pains I’ve ever felt. This was at 12 weeks gestation. I actually felt sorry for the young doctor who looked at me as she clearly didn’t have a clue what to say/do. No it wasn’t an emergency in the end but this must happen ALL the time. A&e should be better equipped given that they must see thousands of ‘time wasters‘ every day that they have to treat respectfully and politely. And women should be told more about what to expect when you pass a pregnancy, as when you’re alone at home It can be terrifying when you’re not expecting pain levels/heavy bleeding like that. That said, always got to a&e with very heavy bleeding.

So sorry you went through this. I'll get flamed but this is why I went private. It is such a scary time for a woman, and this isn't how to be treated. I eventually went back to my home country where pre and postnatal care is so much better than the uk.

Sharkerr is spot on. I had a miscarriage 19 years ago and it doesn't seem as though things have got any better. It lasted for three days. I got sent home the first time I presented to the hospital and I was left for hours and hours. My GP was worried about me and arranged for me to go back to the hospital. I was admitted and had a scan which showed that I had a complete miscarriage and was discharged. The second time I went there was clearly a concern I had retained some of the products of conception. The pathway for miscarriage should be EPU and that's where 111 should send you as should A&E if you present there. It's a terrifying experience.

It doesn't seem like 111 really know what to do with miscarriages. I wonder if a helpline that could give more tailored advise to women such as when they need medical attention and what they can do to help themselves at home would be better

My sister is going through this exact same thing. 8 weeks pregnant and has been passing clots since the weekend. She has just been told to wait it out and no point in doing a scan. She is beside herself and has been trying for two years, this is her first and her treatment is woeful. She is worried and needs some compassion. Maternity care is woefully lacking in the uk, why is it ok that women are continually failed?
Should she ask for a blood test or push for a scan as she is over 7 weeks?

I had absolutely wonderful treatment, was looked after so well, such compassion and care I couldn’t have asked for more. I took the staff back some biscuits and chocolates. I was about 9 weeks when I went to hospital

I’m sorry for your loss

I was 9 weeks when I passed a very large clot at work. Once the clot came out I started bleeding - like gushes of blood. I was inconsolable. I hadn't told work I was pregnant and my colleagues phoned my husband to come and get me and were so supportive and amazing.

I was wearing tights but I could still feel the blood coming out - my husband phoned the hospital and they said A&E (this was pre Covid). When we got there they gave me a urine pot and asked for a sample. I remember that there was blood smeared all over the pot and although I tried to clear myself up it was impossible. We sat there for 5 hours. In that time I had my a cannula put in but no explanation as to why (I still don't know?)

I ended up having to sit on my black coat as I got blood all over the seat in the waiting room.

By the time I got sent to the EPU it was empty and we felt a bit like we were an annoyance - in the way. After another hour a doctor examined me and said my cervix was closed. I didn't know what this really meant to be honest. She said I would have a scan in three weeks! I was incredulous and she then moved it forward to the Monday (4 days later).

At one point the nurse said 'cheer up - it's valentines tomorrow'. I couldn't believe it. I ended up going home with that urine pot - it was never even tested!

We went home that evening having no clue what was going on and I was sad and angry. Now that time has moved on (my outcome was a positive one and I'm nearly 30 weeks now) I do see it through different eyes. Although it was tragic to me and my husband the staff have so many miscarriages and pregnancy complications coming through their doors - I wanted them to be sympathetic but really they were just doing their jobs. They weren't rude or negligent. They were just going through the motions I guess. This really doesn't excuse those who have been treated rudely or insensitively - there's no need for that.

In all honesty, had my outcome been different I probably would still be very angry about how I was dealt with.

Sorry for your losses OP. Did they say it was likely a chemical? I had my 3rd MC at 10 weeks in the height of covid. My proof of pregnancy was seeing a heartbeat on a 7 week scan.

When I started bleeding, I rang 2 EPU's, but both refused to scan me. I know that nothing could be done. I took paracetamol and wasn't hemorrhaging, and it never occurred to me to go to A&E! I MC at home, but had to physically go to the EPU twice, as I was passing pregnancy products for over a week. Being my 3rd MC, they were willing to send them for genetics testing. Even though I've had a previous retained product, was still passing obvious pregnancy tissue (not just clots) and was physically already at the EPU- twice, they still didn't scan me.

I was more surprised that I wasn't offered a leaflet for counselling or any contact if I felt I needed it in the future. Hope you are doing ok OP

Women are merely treated as vessels. When healthcare professionals realise you aren’t pregnant then they couldn’t care less.

It’s all very Handmaid’s Tale.

This thread is horrific to read. My miscarriage was a MMC discovered at a private scan and referred directly to epu, the care couldn't have been better. They even arranged the surgery around my holiday dates.

I am very much of the view that miscarriage before 12 weeks is just one of those things, and I know more women who've had one than not. But that doesn't mean women shouldn't be treated with compassion! I'm calm and level headed, my miscarriage was as easy on me emotionally as it's possible to be. But you can bet that if I'd suddenly started bleeding heavily I would've sought medical advice and if I was told to go to A&E, then that's where I would've gone. And I wouldn't have expected them to change the outcome, but I would've expected a bit of compassion.

Btw, I found the miscarriage association's website to be excellent, just in case anyone reading is looking for information.

There is an awful attitude to pregnant women in the NHS. So many times I was spoken to like a silly young thing who should have kept my legs closed (and I was 34).

I had bleeding with DS at 11 weeks and 5 days or something and the attitude from the midwife on the phone at the birthing unit was basically "Well, you'll soon find out one way or the other. Bye." I really could have done with some info on how I would know if I miscarried, at what point should I seek help if I had pain, how do they know it's all passed - I'd no idea. There's no manual you have to request when you start TTC.

I was told by a midwife in a very brusque way “we don’t care about you, it’s your baby that matters.”

@TabbyMumz

Unfortunately there isnt anything they can do, except check you are ok internally after losing it. 1 in 4 pregnancies are miscarriages. Sometimes what is a big thing for you, isnt as big for someone else, and a and e do have life threatening cases coming in that they can do something about. Other than check you are ok, all they can do is send you home.

The problem is they often don’t even bother to check you’re okay. I had no checks.... no BP, no temp, no urine....NO CHECKS

I had a raging infection and ended up very ill because the triage nurse said I was having a period! That was my second miscarriage with one successful pregnancy in between. My next pregnancy also ended in miscarriage and I was told it was probably linked to the damage done by the infection. It also caused complications following the delivery of my second child and I was told I probably shouldn’t have any more because of the “damage”.