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. 

[EmptyCrispPackets]

Done.

Also forwarded the details of this onto one of my lovely colleagues who is a epac sister,and was fantastic to me last year when I was a patient.

[RueDeWakening]

I didn't like completion, as mine was a MMC and I wasn't showing any signs (after nearly 4 weeks) of my body actively rejecting anything. So there was nothing to complete as it hadn't started yet, IYSWIM? And without needing a viability scan for other reasons at about 7 weeks, I wouldn't have known till my dating scan.

I don't know, it's a tough call and I went for "treatment" in the end.

[EthelredOnAGoodDay]

Done, went for completion. For me, that's what my ERPC did; completed my MMC. thanks for this, it's appreciated.

[MyDogShitsShoes]

Done.

[FunnysInLaJardin]

done it

[FunnysInLaJardin]

oh and went for completion too. Much more accurate IMO

[granule]

Done. Thanks MNHQ.

[Bunnyjo]

I opted for completion. In terms of a MC and MMC, I think the idea it completes the miscarriage is preferable to the listed alternatives, having suffered a MC myself. As a previous poster said; the term 'treatment' is somewhat hopeful, whilst the term 'removal' is harsh. My MC was 'medically managed' and I guess the term 'Surgical Management of Miscarriage' could be another alternative...

[SESthebrave]

Done!
I also chose completion.

[realhousewifeofdevoncounty]

The only difficulty is that "miscarriage" is not a medical term in itself, so will it realistically be adopted by the medical profession? I can see why erpc can cause upset though.

[MandaHugNKiss]

I think I prefer completion for the reasons stated: a real sense of closure to that term.

Whilst I understand the emotive reasons behind some wishing for an actual baby to be acknowledged it wouldn't be accurate in many instances (I'd already delivered my baby and the retained placenta was causing me to hemorrhage so emergency erpc performed). Surely, through all the pain we suffer we can see it would BU to expect a plethora of different terms to cover the various possibilities when it comes to the procedure. A more general 'kindness' to the term is, I think, reasonable and acceptable.

But, perhaps I'm a bit 'different' as I don't really have a problem with the 'ERPC' and can easily seperate its use by medical professionals as the anatomical procedure it is from how I feel. So long as their demenour with me isn't similarly 'cold' (and again perhaps I was lucky - such incredibly caring staff from the surgeons down to the tea ladies!) then I don't mind.

[HappyHippyChick]

What I found worse was at one appointment, I can't remember if it was during/after my miscarriage or during a subsequent ante natal appointment they told me they had to call it an abortion on the form as the foetus had been aborted - albeit unwillingly. That was awful as I had lost my precious baby, not aborted it

[CuppaTeaJanice]

Completion is the most correct term. Afaik, my ERPC didn't remove the embryo (that had been removed with forceps the previous day), but other pregnancy-related tissues - mixed echoes as the sonographer called them.

Also I would hate for the miscarriage to have been referred to as a baby at any point. The fact it was my embryo that died before it developed into a baby minimised my sense of loss and kept me sane at that traumatic time. If people had referred to it as a 'baby', it would have forced the whole experience into the dark realms of stillbirth and I would have found it much harder to cope. I understand this will be different for later miscarriages.

[flapperghasted]

Done

[worldgonecrazy]

I voted for completion too.

When I had my ERPC I asked for the remains so that I could do a formal farewell at home - we had a cremation and my vicar friend said a few words, it was very emotional but very healing too. I did have to ask the nurse to stop calling the remains 'the product' as it felt too harsh, though she did mention that some women didn't like to call it 'baby'. I think that is something that the HCPs need to learn to play by ear.

[realhousewifeofdevoncounty]

Yes happy, unfortunately the correct term for miscarriage is spontaneous abortion, abortion meaning just a premature end o of pregnancy for whatever reason in the medical world, but obviously has other connotations in every day language, and can be quite a distressing word to hear. Don't worry noone was trying to imply you had a termination. X

[tasmaniandevilchaser]

Done, I also voted for completion. I had a MMC, so although I understand the poster who said she didn't like completion as it hadn't started, in my mind, it all started when my baby died , so needed to be completed so I could move on....try to move on . Don't like removal and treatment does suggest some hope, so not appropriate.

[StellaAndFries]

Done. I went for completion.

[woollyjo]

Done, I went for completion.

[bubby64]

Definatly "Compleation" as far as I am concerned. Nice to see that the people who are involved in this unhappy event are finally being asked their opinion.

[LittleWhiteWolf]

Done

[PestoPenguin]

I've done it.

I don't buy this whole "medical profession must use correct medical language" argument. The correct medical term is whatever is agreed by the profession to have the meaning assigned. There is no reason at all that spontaneous abortion cannot be renamed miscarriage in formal medical terminology. For doctors to suggest otherwise is pompous, insensitive and frankly up their own arses IMO.

[KatAndKit]

I agree with you about renaming "spontaneous abortion" - there's no reason not to rename that miscarriage, and guidelines already tell them that miscarriage is the term they should use with patients anyway.

My point about using correct language was that it would not necessarily be appropriate for any terminology to replace ERPC to make reference to a "baby".

[toomuchmonthatendofthemoney]

Done, thank you MN and the Miscarriage Assoc, one step on a long road forward.