Are GPS generally this uninformed about fertility issues? Read for a laugh!

[blueberry23]

Just been advised by a GP that the fact I'm breastfeeding has absolutely nothing to do with my cycle being short and the fact I keep having chemical pregnancies (7/8 day luteal phase).

In fact she didn't even know what a luteal phase was and when I said I was having chemical pregnancies she said 'meaning?' And had no idea what it it was.

And she said 'why are you feeding a 15 month old child that child should be weaned from the breast' honestly I just gave up at that point

She followed up by saying - if you want to get pregnant have sex during ovulation' - ohhhh sure I didn't think of that. Must be where we are going wrong!

Are GPs generally this uninformed about fertility issues? I'm mind blown. First contact I've made after 6 months of TTC and two chem pregnancies. I've asked her to send me for a blood test and told her what I need to be tested for

Ridiculous!

Sure, let’s just gather here and carry on the GP bashing. Just because you had one experience that we only have your word on, the thousands of GPs in the UK are all terrible! You clearly know so much OP!

I haven’t found my (female) GP supportive of women’s health issues at all either OP. Mine told me it was fine and normal to have 100+ day cycles… then said I could arrange day 21 blood tests if I really wanted. And couldn’t understand why blood tests on day 21 of a 100 day cycle was pretty pointless 🙄
As an aside, breastfeeding will affect cycles in some (most?) people. I’m feeding my 9.5 month old and periods haven’t returned yet so obviously fertility is affected to an extent. They had returned by this point after my first was born despite also still being breastfed so I guess there’s a lot of variation.

She didn’t tell her to stop breastfeeding in order to get pregnant though she asked her why she’s still feeding a 15 month old as if she shouldn’t be

I told my GP that a pregnancy hadn't stuck. She asked me to define what I meant by the phrase, and wouldn't stop asking for clarification until I'd spoken the word "miscarriage", despite very obviously not wanting to.

Still not sure if she didn't know what I meant or was deliberately being awkward.

I know my own medical conditions and their impact on pregnancy (for example my thyroid meds need increasing as soon as I have a positive test) enough to know exactly what to ask for now. They make a note, google it then call me back later to agree to it normally.

As PP have mentioned, there’s online support groups for women who are TTC while still breastfeeding. You may like to look them up. I’m in a group but related to women needing IVF while breastfeeding, and the general consensus is that after 12 months of feeding prolactin levels reduce to a point where they shouldn’t affect a pregnancy.

Exactly the OP said the GP said to her -
“why are you feeding a 15 month old child that child should be weaned from the breast”
The World Health Organisation recommends breastfeeding until AT LEAST the age of 2. So the GP was totally out of order to tell her her DC should be weaned. Telling her that breastfeeding can affect fertility is a very different conversation.

Whilst she does sound very ill informed, breastfeeding can prevent pregnancy, i conceived 6 weeks after I weaned my 18 month old dd (hadn't been using contraception), I was having erratic periods from when she was 8 months. With dd2 my periods didn't even return until after weaning (18 months)

You don't need to wean your baby to get pregnant. I got pregnant with my twins whilst breastfeeding my toddler

Really sorry to hijack your thread OP (I don't even have anything sensible to add) but I just spotted @TwittleBee - did you ever get your wood back??? Please say you did!

I had awful experiences with a few GPs before finally giving up and paying for a private referral.

After a MMC and tons of fertility issues I went to see first GP and she decided I must have a molar pregnancy so gave me a pregnancy test and a Chlamydia test. No follow up. Second GP I chose told me to try and cheer up a bit as it is amazing how that can help. I just sat and looked at him then left. Third GP my partner actually came along as he was sick of me coming home upset and no further forward. She was just as bad so yeh it wasn't a great few years for us and it really put me off ever wanting to see a GP again.

I'm in no way GP bashing, I work for the NHS and I understand the pressures but I do think that there needs to be improvements in things like fertility advice/referrals/pathways to help people. We ended up doing our own research, paying for private blood tests and then for private consultant appointments until we were then referred for IVF.

Hahaha @ChiefPearlClutcher Yes! Yes we did! Although not all of it!

I don’t believe the GP said all this in the manner you’ve relayed here. I think you were upset with the interaction for any number of reasons and perhaps felt dismissed/not listened to.

If they genuinely did this and you’ve not cherry picked statements out of context you need to report it. You’re accusing a female GP of not knowing some basics around her own period cycle, let alone an inability to provide medical advice.

Sorry you’re having fertility issues.

Love the GP bashing here!
Do you guys think the GP might have slightly more important conditions to remember than a fertilised egg that didn't stick?
Honestly as long as my GP can treat me for the barrage of other conditions that might kill me (you know actual serious conditions like sepsis, cancer, aneurysms, heart attacks), then I'm happy to accept a lack of knowledge about infertility and the many colloquial terms that people use to describe a late period!
The GPs job is to refer to specialists who treat infertility.
But yes, typical MN users think their Google searches are the equivalent of a medical degree 😂
Look forward to the days when my taxes are not used to entertain such nonsense.

I'm not sure what your complaint is, if I was a busy GP, think I would be a bit bemused by a healthy woman who has only being trying to get pregnant for a few months while continuing to breastfeed wanting to talk it through. I'm not a huge fan of GP's but I think your expectations are a bit unrealistic

Oh so GPs only do life saving things do they @Traveller3367 ? Perfectly legit to talk about conception, breast feeding etc with a medical practitioner and also expect a modicum of knowledge.

@Comtesse
You may wish to reread my post as that is NOT what I said. I said I'm happy to accept a lack of knowledge in a field with no urgency. A GP doing so reading and calling me back about a fertility issue isn't going to be as detrimental as a GP delaying my care to learn about cancer symptoms etc. Honestly raise your game!

She didn’t tell her to stop breastfeeding in order to get pregnant though she asked her why she’s still feeding a 15 month old as if she shouldn’t be

this. Totally ignorant and I would complain about it.

some people are totally fine to conceive whilst pregnant (I did), and some aren’t. I would give it a bit longer before giving up.

That's not what the GP said though - it was in response to fertility - BF can Interfere with fertility. If you want to get pregnant and can't, stopping BF where it's no longer a necessity is something some people may not know can help get pregnant

GP didn’t offer to look anything up - said the baby should be weaned, shot from the hip about some basic biology and got it wrong. All sounds a bit substandard to me. If they can’t get this right, can we be sure they are safe on the critical illnesses either? Not sure what that has got to do with raising MY game but you know… have a nice day I guess😀

But where did the OP say that her GP was planning to do her research/reading and call her back??

It sounds like she was asking what your understanding of luteal phase and chemical pregnancy.
Health professionals do this is people come in with all sorts of jargon and they mean something different.
Are you over 35? They do tell you that after 6 months ttc if your over 35 to see your GP.
I know that breastfeeding can cause low progesterone which can cause a short luteal phase. A lot of women can't conceive when breast feeding.
The GP was probably thinking a long the lines of this... that your saying your struggling to conceive but still breastfeeding which can cause low progesterone so the solution is to stop breastfeeding to conceive.
Doesn't sound like she delivered that well.

A GP is a generalist at the end of the day, having to make decisions about whether an issue warrants a referral to a specialist, whether it’s something they can treat themselves or whether it’s a wait and see situation. They are the first port of call for the majority of people about their health issues. By far the majority of the time they get it right. They can’t know everything in the same depth as a specialist. I think you are expecting too much.

Also OP on your other thread it said you had been ttc for 4 months