NHS and Miscarriage?

[Pambeezley]

Had a telephone conversation with my GP last week, I told them I was pregnant (around 4 weeks) and they turned round and said that it's too early to book any appointments due to the risk of miscarriage around 6-8 weeks.

Haven't spoken about this on any other threads but it's been playing on my mind. I did Google, and there is information about it happening around then, but also once a pregnancy gets to 6 weeks it's more likely to be successful?

This is my second baby, with my first I didn't have a clue what was going on, still felt anxious, but I just went along with it. I'm trying to be less anxious and not overthink, but why would the doctor say that to me? Is that the case, because I've found a miscarriage reassurance tool online (found on Reddit) and I've been following it loosely to help me feel less anxious. I know it's not accurate but it's helping me mentally!

Any reassurance would be amazing, because I'm starting to get quite anxious now that I'm coming up to 6 weeks.

Really sorry if this triggers anyone

Why did you phone the gp? Was it for something else or do they have to refer you to midwifery?
Our GP’s don’t have anything to do with pregnancy, you just self refer to the midwife, but not until week 7.
I imagine the Dr said it by way of explanation for not doing anything, they likely have lost of women questioning why they aren’t being seen when they phone up after getting a positive test.
Try not to worry, easier said than done I know. Congratulations on your pregnancy, such an exciting time!

I think you’ve misunderstood what the GP meant, the risk of miscarriage does reduce significantly once you get past the 6 week point but if they would be wasting a lot of resources if they did a full booking (which can take 2 hours) and referrals if they booked everyone at 6 weeks. Just make sure your clued up on folic acid (larger prescribed dose recommended if BMI over 30) and the food rules etc

@BafflingAndBothersome thank you, I'm excited but also nervous.

The conversation was part of an appointment for something else but they wanted to run some tests (MRI, etc.) on me and I said that I'd found out I was pregnant so it was more of an FYI. Then I got that response. I didn't even mention about the booking in, as I know I need to self refer. Last time I did that at 4 weeks lol.

I'm just a bit confused, hence why I'm waiting for next week to book my first appointment.

This appointment wasn't to do with the booking in/midwife appointment, I didn't even mention that, it was for something unrelated. I'd just mentioned I'd found out I was pregnant.

With my first I went to the GP as I didn't have a clue and they referred me as they wanted me to have a health check-up, but now I know that it's all self referral.

I was just a bit baffled by their words, our GPs aren't the most people friendly, but it was a bit "giving it to me straight", if that makes sense.

Maybe they were having a bad day, or have been inundated with newly pregnant people lol

Hi,

I did the same thing when I found out I was pregnant. I’m 20+4 now. When I found out I was 3 weeks so I called the GP to basically ask what I need to do as I was clueless (still am!) they gave me a very similar response which is a shock as you expect that will have lots of questions and start booking appointments but this isn’t the case.

What I’ve found as time has gone on is that with some staff you will deal with they will just be very direct and tell you the facts..which is what it sounds like your GP has done. Others will take their time to explain things to you and answer all your questions, I guess it the same in any organisation!

I think every woman worries about miscarriage but to medical professionals it’s something they deal with day in day. Your worry will pass as your pregnancy progresses :)

Maybe they thought you were also asking to make a booking appointment?? Yes I suppose they could have just said they usually book them for 8 weeks and booked you in or checked you knew details to self refer (be difficult to get a booking appointment in most places if don’t book a few weeks before anyway). If you had gone on to ask why not until then they could have then said about the miscarriage risk but at the same time ideally reassured you that at 6 weeks the risk had already significantly reduced. I don’t suppose it helps that staff are so busy and swamped they don’t always have the time to discuss things as sensitively as would be ideal

I think it's odd for them to mention miscarriage, there was really no need to. They could have just said once you get to about 8 weeks contact your local maternity unit. I work at a do tor surgery and I had a few phonecalls saying I'm pregnant can I make a gp appointment. I usually ask if it's a booking app they want and let them know to contact the local maternity hospital once they're about 8 weeks bit to still come to us for anything medical that might be pregnancy related.

@STSJ90 I think you're right about the directness, I think it depends on the person you're speaking to as I see other doctors and they're a bit more tactful? I'm just a worry knickers and think that the worst is always going to happen, but that's my own issue to deal with!

@Clarie83 you're right, they are short staffed and overworked. I just wasn't expecting that kind of discussion there and then, also when googling I saw quite a few posts about miscarriage around those weeks so it's only triggered my anxiety more. I didn't want to come across like I was slagging off the NHS as they've saved my life and I do appreciate we have them. I didn't go into detail as I didn't want to go further into it as I'm already worked up about it. Also I'm definitely way more hormonal at the moment, making me more sensitive.

@Cotswoldmama maybe they could see I was a STM from my notes? Like I say I only mentioned it because I needed the MRI, which I know they always ask "is there a possibility you're pregnant". It just made me panic a little, they probably should've looked into my notes more and seen the massive red flag that I do struggle with health anxiety lol.

I self referred at 4 weeks and got sent all my appointments. Went for early scan at 6 weeks, booking appointment at 7 weeks and already have appointments for September and October scheduled x

Re: yes totally in an ideal world it would of been dealt with more sensitively, to be honest about them looking into your notes and seeing and considering you have health anxiety, the reality is that is very unlikely. People do want yo do their best and would love to provide such a holistic level of care but the reality is HCPs rarely have time to look at anything but the bare essential details of notes e.g. checking that you don’t have a condition that means medication they are about to prescribe you isn’t dangerous etc. It’s not that they don’t care but they are reviewing/interacting with maybe 30+ people in single day focussing their efforts trying to make sure they don’t make a life/death mistake. I’m sure if they sure aware what they said had upset/confused you they would be quite upset and will reflect on how they can rephrase things for any newly pregnant women they are talking to next time. See if there is an anonymous survey/feedback cards that the surgery does and you can just bring it up as general feedback that will hopefully get mentioned in a team meeting

Congratulations op. They were probably just being factual, sadly about 1/3 pregnancies end in miscarriage so the first 12 weeks are a bit of a waiting game. Even if you make it to 12 weeks there's still a chance there has been a missed miscarriage which has happened to me several times sadly. No point being anxious but always best to not get too excited until the pregnancy progresses I find.