Hopeless antenatal care

[CC77]

Hi,

I'd find it really helpful to share what hopeless luck I'm having with my antenatal care!

I had my 1st baby at 33 weeks because I had severe pre-eclampsia. I'm 22 weeks pregnant again now and was told I'd be seen by a consultant during this pregnancy as I'd had previous complications. Instead I saw a very junior dr who listened to the baby's heartbeat and then tried to dismiss me. I'd spent weeks preparing for this meeting, and had a huge list of questions as I had so much anxiety about the PE returning.

Anyway, when she couldn't answer my questions she went off to find the consultant, who popped into the room for a minute. In that minute I learnt that I should have been told to take baby aspirin from 8 weeks (I wasn't), that I should have had something called a lupus scan (for which it was now too late) and that the dr I was seeing should have scheduled me 4 extra appointments in total including 2 extra scans!! To think that if I hadn't asked some questions of the dr, I would have walked out of the room missing out on important follow up meetings and scans!

I feel so angry that the hospital thought it could fob me off with such an inappropriate dr (she even had an 'intro to obstetrics' guide on her desk) and that other women might actually come away from appointments missing out on care that would protect the lives of their unborn babies.

Thanks for reading, I feel better letting it out!

Sadly I think there is a lot of poor antenatal care around, and in this country consultant care really is "junior doctor care" - which is why I'd want to see either midwife or GP - both who are fully qualified at what they do and not the junior doctor.

I don't really have medical issues but I'm annoyed with community midwifes who run hopelessly late and take blood in blood tests but never give you the results. I just don't have any faith that if there was a problem of any sort it would be picked up.

Firstly, you can change hospital, (which is what I have done - although easy for me as I live in London so lots to choose from) although the care might not be better elsewhere.

Secondly the preclampsia might not be so bad this time - supposed to get less with each baby.

Thirdly - you might find you get better care from your GP (if you have someone sympathetic) - doesn't help for the scans but perhaps go and see GP and arrange to have fortnightly check-ups with them?

It sounds like now you have had some advise from consultant - there is a scan they can do at 25 weeks of the blood flow into the placenta which can give an indication of high blood pressure - I had this scan with DD as my Mum had high blood pressure in each pregnancy. Make sure at each subsequent appointment all your questions are answered.

I think also worth writing letter to complain about doctor - similar to what you have posted here - severe pre-eclampsia in previous pregnancy should have rung big alarm bells and if doctor felt out of depth should have called consultant immediately not tried to fob you off - also hospital should have written procedures on how to deal with this and this should all have been communicated at booking in appointment - which is why you must complain in writing to hospital

I second the letter writing. Be calm but firm, and copy it to the hospital administrator as well.