Hi everyone
I just wanted to share my experience as found this site so useful over the last difficult week. I unfortunately went to an 11 week private scan (booked as my NHS one was at 13.5 weeks) and found out that my baby had stopped growing a week before with no heartbeat visible. I was distraught as had no bleeding or cramping or any usual miscarriage signs. I had full pregnancy sickness, sore boobs and didn't feel anything was wrong. I was told I had experienced a missed miscarriage which only happens in 1 in 30 pregnancies. I rang my local early pregnancy unit and left a message and they phoned me back the next day (private scan was on a bank hol) and said that they would schedule a phone call within 48 hours. On Friday morning I called again, and left another message saying I hadn't had a call. Got a phonecall back that afternoon from a lovely nurse who was the first person to express any empathy saying that I had 3 options - natural management, medical management or surgical management. She advised the 3rd option as my miscarriage hadn't started yet and it had likely been 3 weeks since baby had unfortunately died. I was booked in for the following Monday. I was off work from the previous Monday as I was so upset about the loss and physically I was worried about starting bleeding at work as I work in a classroom and wouldn't be able to leave if needed.
On Monday 10th May 2021, I went to the early pregnancy unit in the hospital with my husband an hour before my appointment as he had to do a covid test. We then waited in the car for an hour for the results. We were both given disposable masks to switch to and had to keep these on all day. Following that we had some paperwork to fill in with details about symptoms / reason for visit ect. Then a scan to confirm no heartbeat. This was the most upsetting part of the whole day for me as I think I held out a tiny bit of hope that the sonographer at the private scan was somehow wrong. He wasn't so it was confirmed and then we went back to the waiting room. Another hour later, we had a consultation with a senior nurse who explained the surgical procedure under local anaesthetic (called an mva) and discussed what we wanted to happen with the pregnancy remains after removal. She was lovely and very kind to us both. We signed all the paperwork and then my husband had to wait in the recovery area. I had the misoprostol inserted as 4 tablets into the vagina up to the cervix by the nurse. She gave me some paracetamol and put a cannula into my arm as a precaution incase I'd need a blood transfusion in unlikely event of haemorrhage after procedure. She then took me to the recovery room and explained she'd be back in 2-3 hours. Cramps started within half an hour but were no worse than my usual period pain. I had no bleeding at all during this time but some people can do. The waiting area/recovery room had 2 other couples in it but we were all separated by a curtain each. I was really hungry despite everything by this point so we ate our tesco meal deals and I had a nap in the arm chair to distract myself. At 3pm I was called into procedure room. I then became really upset at losing the baby again and the doctor was really nice and gave me some time. I explained that I had a terrifying previous emergency delivery of my first baby 18 months prior so was scared about the pain and bleeding. She reassured me that they could give me additional pain relief if I needed it. I had to remove bottom half and lay on the bed with my feet in stirrups. She put a speculum (same as with a smear test) into my vagina and then injected a numbing jelly into my womb. She explained what she was doing the whole time. She then gave me a few injections into the cervix which I didn't feel at all. I was still quite upset and crying so another nurse was summoned to hold my hand. I wish it could have been my husband but due to covid he wasn't allowed into the room. She then began the procedure and all I felt was a gentle scraping. It wasn't painful at all for me and took around 5 mins. She then scanned me internally and said there was a small part left. It took another 2 mins to finish and during this time I had some medium cramping. For me, nothing at all like labour pains and less than my usual period pains. I was given a few mins to lay there as I felt a little faint and she explained I had bled slightly more than usual so I'd be monitored over next hour. I was taken back recovery room to my husband and given a cup of tea. My blood pressure and temperature was done. 1.5 hours later, they gave me my anti d vaccination (due to negative blood type) and checked my pad for blood loss. They said I needed to wee before I went. I did and left around 6pm. So in total it was a full 10 hours in hospital. I definitely recommend bringing comfy loose clothes, lots if snacks and water and a phone charger.
When I got home, I really wanted a shower due to the bleeding and then just took some more paracetamol as it had been 6-7 hours by then and went to sleep for the night. Today my bleeding is minimal, cramps medium (no worse than period pain for me) and I have had a bad tummy due to the misoprostol tablets. My legs ache down the back and I feel tired but it is all manageable in my experience.
I hope this reassures anyone who is as frightened of the experience as I was. I googled to death for 6 full days before the procedure and convinced myself that I was going to bleed out or pass out from the pain but my experience was far from it. The Instagram page 'theworstgirlgang' was brilliant for making me feel less lonely throughout the last week. Please let me know if you have anymore questions about anything