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. 🥺

Hi firstly I am so very sorry for your loss. It's an awful thing to go through and actually all you want is some sympathy and clarity on what to do.

There are mixed messages as I read on the nhs sites you should seek care as they need to confirm it is complete.

As you didn't seem to get great care look out for signs of infection - so smelly or discoloured discharge - really important and can happen.

They normally tell people to take a test a few weeks later as a sign all the tissue has passed as once you get to negative it's usually done.

No womens miscarriage is the same so ignore any comments on here that aren't helpful.

@HoppingPavlova, not everyone has a complete miscarriage. I've been sent home by people with your attitude and have ended up with a infection, feeling really ill and luckily my DH wasn't working away from home that week. I was taken back in, finally got a scan and then had a D&C and antibiotics on a drip. Each time I haven't been the only one. Speaking to other women, my experience isn't unique.
I've been hospitalised three times because a scan/x ray wasn't done. It's cheaper to do them and better for the patients.

Yes, am well aware that not everyone has a complete miscarriage but it’s not within the remit of A&E. Yes, after a miscarriage there should be a scan. Absolutely. Or as was your experience, if incomplete there will be infection.

None of that is solved by a scan via A&E while you are in the process of a miscarriage. A&E does not have spare beds for people to wait it out until all is finished to do this. It should be done by EPU in normal EPU hours post miscarriage not during miscarriage in A&E as that makes absolutely no clinical sense. As for the ‘it’s cheaper’ aspect- yes, no one is saying no scams, just A&E is not the place during a miscarriage.

A&E is for issues where immediate medical intervention is necessary. The vast majority of miscarriages do not require any IMMEDIATE medical intervention so basically it’s hard to justify a bed so you get an uncomfortable chair and environment for several hours as opposed to the comfort of your own home in a time when you probably value a bit of privacy.

There are some cases where immediate medical intervention is required for excessive blood loss which can be life-threatening. This is exactly what A&E is for, to manage this aspect, not to manage the miscarriage as such, again that aspect is EPU’s remit. If you have excessive blood loss that falls into this category then absolutely, it’s an A&E matter but as said previously this is an exceedingly small number, not general or common. Excessive blood loss has symptoms in its own right. 111 will never tell someone bleeding not to go to A&E due to liability but basically if people don’t meet this criteria at A&E (which you can eyeball very easily), then expect a chair in the waiting area for 12 hours before being told to leave or something in the corridor not taking up a clinical space. That’s the reality when someone doesn’t require medical attention in A&E. The necessary follow up with all information necessary should occur in EPU.

The EPU is closed for most of the hours in the 24 hour cycle. In fact I wasn't even aware of its existence before I miscarried.
My midwife told me not to go to the labour ward but I absolutely should have done.

I was at EPAU with suspected ectopic pregnancy and was crying as the nurse explained that I might need treatment. I was crying and she then said don’t cry, it’s just a little jag, won’t hurt too much, and looked shocked when i told her that I was crying because my baby had died, not because of a needle.
I’m still angry years later.
Can’t comment on A&E but NHS24 were lovely when I phoned. Basically said that nothing could be done, nature would take its course sadly, and told me when to seek medical attention. BUT the person spoke to me kindly which was really what I needed - at that point I was just scared and sad.

Not A&E, I was 11 weeks pregnant and started haemorrhaging. Every ten minutes I would have a rush of blood. Phoned my doctor who arranged an admission to the gynae ward. Placed on a drip, obviously to induce the foetus, but no one told me what they were doing. They wouldn’t accept I was pregnant because it hadn’t been confirmed by a 12 week scan. My husband was abroad and I was left alone to pass the foetus. The proof was there, yet they still wouldn’t acknowledge my pregnancy.

This is the thing - women who have had babies, work in healthcare, or both, are all "Well obviously you go to the EPU for this if you're x weeks, stay at home if you bleed x amount but get help if it goes over y amount." etc. But many women haven't seen anyone when they miscarry! My booking appointment was at 10 weeks, at which point I was given the various numbers, told where the EPU was (we have several hospitals), and told what to look for. A woman miscarrying at 7/8 weeks has normally had nothing but a positive test and access to Dr Google.

To all the people who have said "there's nothing they can do".

There is. It's not that uncommon to require a) treatment to stop excessive bleeding and b) an emergency ERPC under general anaesthetic.

I needed these having passed out with huge blood loss. I was ignored & treated like shit for several hours.

To be fair, the gynaecological consultant I eventually saw was appalled that my medical needs had been ignored. However no one seemed to see how disgusting/neglectful it is to not even offer sanitary pads to someone dripping blood all over the floor, who is unable to stand to get these themselves because they have fainted due pain & blood loss.

It took me weeks to recover.

Yes that's one of the most surprising parts for me. I lost a lot of blood and the nurse brought a gown in and put it on a shelf across the cubicle and told me to get changed then left. I had to get off the trolley and retrieve the gown and get changed. I got as far as standing up and then more blood gushed away and everything went black.

I had a nasty threatened MC with DS and the mw was livid I was upset. I was clearly a waste of her time. Despite the level three bleeding he went to term and is upstairs in bed.

@RainbowBabyDreams did you faint? So sorry for you?

@abbazed yes, I did. It was a horrible feeling, much worse than I would expect from seeing it on tv (duh me!) my head got suddenly so hot it felt like it was on fire and then I went down.

When the nurse came back and I had come round, she took my blood pressure, but it was when I was lying down and she said I was fine.

Similar thing happened this April when I was in a&e for a different reason. They discharged me, I said I felt faint when standing, they took my blood pressure when lying down and said I was fine and told me to leave.

Any nurses reading this - with the greatest of respect because the vast majority of nurses I've been cared for by have been wonderful. But why wouldn't anyone want to take my bp when standing?

I had two miscarriages at 7 weeks and 10 weeks respectively. I didn't go to A&E for either. With the first at 6 weeks I went to my IVF clinic the day after I started bleeding and they scanned me and confirmed no heartbeat. Sent me home with a private prescription for strong painkillers. I miscarried at home over the next couple of days. With the second, I called my GP when I started bleeding on the Thursday and he referred me to the EPAU but they couldn't see me until the following Tuesday (I kid you not) so I booked a private scan for Saturday morning and I miscarried fully late on the Friday. Still went to the scan which confirmed the loss and also went to EPAU on the Tuesday where they scanned to confirm no tissue remaining and offered me misoprostol to make sure (I declined) and follow up blood tests over the next few weeks which I took.
I would not have wanted to be at A&E in either case and nor did I need to be.
The pain was bad especially with the later one but manageable at home.
I did however go to A&E when I was 10 weeks pregnant with my IVF child as had excruciating pain but no bleeding. Eventually after a long wait in A&E overnight i was admitted and waited a further whole day to be scanned (it was the weekend). Ruptured ovarian cyst was confirmed.
I personally don't think A&E is necessary for most 1st trimester miscarriages but had given birth once before I had my two miscarriages and understand a first ever pregnancy may be different as no experience of labour type pains.

I'm sorry for your loss. The Miscarriage Association are very helpful and have good private Facebook groups for peer support too.
Counselling and emotional support for pregnancy loss is quite lacking in the NHS.

Confirmed pregnancy by a routine scan, week later I started bleeding so heavy I passed out so called an ambulance. Felt like actual labour when I was in the ambulance, paramedics were brilliant though. Got to hospital and lost the baby in the bathroom, pretty much caught it in my hand. I was 10 weeks. Nurse put me in a bed and left it next to me in a sick bowl for 8hrs whilst I had drs come in and ask if there was any chance I could be pregnant. When I was discharged that night the dr sent it home with me in a urine sample pot and told me to bring it back the next morning for examination. Another scan was performed and the nurse said 'yes, no baby
What you have there is the product of conception'. Worst experience of my life. That baby was the only I 'delivered' naturally. My other two were emc's after longggg labours

I had a ruptured ectopic. I went to a&e twice and was ignored, EPU told me I didn't know what I was talking about. I had to force them to scan me at 9 weeks and before she did it she said there's no point to this you won't see anything (she was insisting I was only 5 weeks) Scan showed a mass, rushed for emergency surgery I'd lost a lot of blood and my tube had ruptured. The consultant told me if I hadn't gone in that day I'd have died.

I really hate how as women were doubted by professionals, we know our bodies and we know when something isn't right and we should be trusted. If I hadn't have put my foot down my little girl who was 1 year old wouldn't have had a mum.

I had a ruptured ectopic. I went to a&e twice and was ignored, EPU told me I didn't know what I was talking about. I had to force them to scan me at 9 weeks and before she did it she said there's no point to this you won't see anything (she was insisting I was only 5 weeks) Scan showed a mass, rushed for emergency surgery I'd lost a lot of blood and my tube had ruptured. The consultant told me if I hadn't gone in that day I'd have died.

I really hate how as women were doubted by professionals, we know our bodies and we know when something isn't right and we should be trusted. If I hadn't have put my foot down my little girl who was 1 year old wouldn't have had a mum.