Campaign for Better Miscarriage Care - have you got two mins?

[KateMumsnet]

Hello

You might remember that, as part of our Campaign for Better Miscarriage Care, we called for a change to the term 'evacuation of the retained products of conception' to describe the surgical procedure which some women undergo following a miscarriage.

Great news - following discussions with the Dept of Health, a consultation has been launched by the Association of Early Pregnancy Units and the Miscarriage Association with a view to officially replacing ERPC with an alternative term. One term being considered is 'surgical completion of miscarriage', as suggested by MNers on a previous thread, along with 'surgical removal of miscarriage' and 'surgical treatment of miscarriage'.

It's terribly exciting that the campaign is starting to galvanise change - so if you've got a mo, do go to the survey site and let them know which term you think is the most suitable. And don't forget to come back and tell us that you've done it! We'll be sure to keep you informed of progress as things move forward.

Answered. I'd like to see the word surgical removed but honestly can't think of anything to replace it! It just seems not much better the ERPU to me!

Done.

I prefer 'surgical treatment' - somehow 'removal' and 'completion' are more negative, tho don't ask me to analyse why ...

I think that bugs me as well, MrsMicawber.

Oooh - snap-ish, Len! Surgical assistance for miscarriage.

Done.

To me 'surgical treatment of miscarriage' implies some hope of cure

'surgical removal of miscarriage' is surely referring to the dead embryo as a miscarriage, which also seems objectionable.

Done.

Out of the options given I prefer 'completion' and don't like 'removal'

Agree 'treatment' sounds like there's hope. I voted for 'completion'

Thanks, MN.

Tbh this was not something that crossed my mind. The lack of specialist services , sharing facilities with ante natal or the lack of referral (no one should have to chase their Gp repeatedly for this) were more of an issue.

The difference in experience of mc where referred to specialist mc clinic/staff and not was like a different world.

But agree treatment not good wording

I prefer completion.

Agree that there are much bigger problems, but it costs nothing for everyone to start using a gentler term, so its good that they are interested enough to move forward on it, then maybe other things will follow

Any of the options are better than using "products of conception" although I voted for the surgical completion one. I don't like the word "removal" for some reason.

"completion" has a nice final sense to it, perhaps it will help people to see the procedure as the end of the miscarriage and a starting point for moving on.

I disagree with those who are saying it is necessary to use the word "baby" in a description of the surgical procedure. Whatever is picked still has to be medically accurate and I doubt the medical profession would go for "surgical removal of dead baby" in any case. In many cases of blighted ovum there is no embryo - that happened to me. Of course, personally to me, I had lost my baby, but I am sure that the medical profession need to use appropriate language for their purposes too.

I agree with Gigondas that there are more pressing issues, however this is a good start. Next step is to make sure that women who are miscarrying are not subjected to the waiting room for the antenatal clinic with its fecking BabyTV screens.

Done.

I chose completion as it seem 'softer' than 'removal' and less promising than 'treatment'. I would have liked to have offered and alternative, but couldn't think of anything suitable :(

I prefer 'complete' because essentially that is what happens - the mc is incomplete so the procedure completes it, which hints at the fact that the woman in question needs it for her own wellbeing, whereas 'removal' sounds more brutal I think. And as someone said earlier, 'treatment' implies a cure, when there is nothing to be done for the baby in question. To be honest though all of the options are better than the original, the dr that went through my consent form for medical management of my mc seemed almost embarrassed to have to use the term 'products of conception'. Another alternative might be 'surgical management of miscarriage'? As we use 'medical management' now maybe it would contrast well with that and patients would instantly see the difference?

Done.

I went for 'completion' too cause it is often referred to as a missed or incomplete miscarriage, and this seems to bring it to a close.

Have done, prefer completion (not sure you can remove a miscarriage can you, isn't it a process not a thing?). I'd have preferred any of those to ERPC tbh when I was having one. Thanks for doing this.

I think completion covers all eventualities. When I had mine I wasn't actively miscarrying. So the procedure covered the whole process to completion (actually it didn't complete it but that's a different story). If someone had already started miscarrying at home, the procedure would complete it. I think "surgical management" is a good term too.

Treatment or completion were both not ideal but ok. It was the term miscarriage that got me so I suggested "miscarried pregnancy". I think that acknowledgement is important.

I voted for "completion".

Great work, MN.

Done

I also prefer completion - it removes an idea of blame (of oneself) or intervention in case of endless hoping for something hopeful . i really feel it gets as near to an idea of closure or a feeling of putting an end to the emotional agony as one can get.