Hospitals Charging for Miscarriage: D&C

[Bollockwort]

This is absolutely disgusting - the fact that some hospitals see D&C post-miscarriage as a non-prority service that THEY ARE CHARGING WOMEN FOR: D&C privatisation

I'm absolutely disgusted that any women going through this would be charged for trying to ensure that she does not become infected post-miscarriage.

And that isn't even considering the fact that D&C is important for women suffering from PCOS and other conditions too.

This makes me unbelievably angry. Just trying to spread awareness before this becomes commonplace across other hospitals too!

Honestly no-one else is outraged at this?

Words have failed me, honestly

If they don’t charge even more people will die as a result of substandard healthcare. There is no where near enough funding for non reasearch/specialist hospitals. I understand it’s upsetting but righteous disgust will achieve nothing. Go makes donation and then denounce them.

Disgusting but I am quite certain that this will become commonplace whatever we do, and for other procedures too.

I can’t understand in what instance a d&c would been deemed unnecessary on the nhs? Surely if you’ve had a partial miscarriage it could become life threatening if retained products aren’t removed?

All of the other things n the list do seem to be low priority (not that I agree people should be charged) how the hell does a d&c fit 8nto that list?

Campaign for higher taxes to adequately fund the NHS. Or vote for a government that believes in adequately funding the NHS. This lot believe in privatisation, charging, and generally fucking over the NHS and the public.

Having had to have one of these myself I am bloody disgusted. It’s not a matter of ‘choice’, it’s a necessary procedure. How the hell can someone be charged? If someone had told me, in one of my darkest times ever, ti book in and how would I pay I cannot imagine how I’d have felt. As it is I still got an infection and was laid out for 3-4 days with 2 other children to care for, it was awful.
Just bloody hell.
Boggles how can you justify that people should pay?
How about making people pay when they call an ambulance out for stubbing a toe or something that is an actual waste of money? Goes on every day.

I'm horrified, but I suspect that perhaps the D&C option is for when medical management is recommended rather than surgical but the patient opts for surgical to have it over with (rather than for retained placenta etc. which is life-threatening).

It's fucking appalling though, privatisation by stealth

Just to clarify, a D&C isnt just for miscarriages etc. I'm having a D&C along with biopses during a hysteroscopy next month. I'm not pregnant, I just suffer with extremely heavy painful periods.

I'm supposed to have a d and c next week as my missed miscarriage hasn't started and I cant face the pessary route. I can't face the thought that they are charging women for having lost their children. Its hard enough without thinking about money, especially since it'll hit low income families particularly hard

Yes, and listening to the Tory leaders debate the other night where all of them except Stewart promised tax cuts, how the hell does anyone vote for these complete toasters? At least Stewart asked how the hell they’d all afford public services if they were going to cut taxes, not one of them answered. I despair, just promise everyone some more money and no one question how we find the nhs.

Toasters should have been tossers 😂😂

Sorry for you loss Mammy

OP, you are not wrong, this is awful.

BogglesGoggles and nocoolnamesleft I already do all those things. I put this in Feminist Chat because this is clearly a case of low prioritisation of women's health needs. How on earth is this on the same list as fucking ear pinning and circumcision???

I'm outraged that health authorities have even considered putting D&C as a low priority health issue. I do understand, however, that perhaps (hopefully) the article hasn't mentioned cases where D&C is fully funded by the NHS in these hospitals. However, for the most part, a D&C is more cost effective than paying for treatment for infections/sepsis and associated costs for rehabilitating/looking after children whilst their mum is unwell/possibly demised!

Overall, my point is that whereas a knee replacement surgery can be life changing a dodgy knee is not life threatening. Conversely a partial miscarriage CAN potentially lead to death in women through retained products and sepsis. This is absolutely something we should be shouting about

I'm assuming this is for non essential D&C i.e. not after a miscarriage.

I've had three D&Cs, two following miscarriages and one as a precursor to endometrial ablation.

In the latter I understand charging, in the former it's barbaric.

DramaRamaLlama I really hope you are right that this isn't the case post-miscarriage but my faith in public services and the government is at rock bottom.

I saw the list and it looked like it was in relation to heavy periods.

I don't understand how they decided what went on the list - why isnt ivf payable? (I think this is awful obv but dont get how they've come up with what is needed and what isnt)

Upon rereading I think Queenbetty is correct. Only the writer of the article doesn't fully clarify and another quoted commentator has mentioned miscarriage. I really hope this is the case that it is for heavy periods.

But even so if it is the best course of action for heavy periods it should still be freely available. I've had periods so bad that I've almost fainted and have bled through a super absorbent tampon within 30 mins. It still reeks of misogyny to me.

Women's stuff is often deemed unnecessary/ frivolous / cosmetic when it's not

Anything related to breasts / vaginas / wombs etc

Just boring old misogyny

@Bollockwort as an aside please explore EA. Best thing I ever did. Transformative! I wish I hadn't waited so long

DramaRamaLlama thank you! Seems like a possible remedy to my period woes!

It's definitely nothing to do with miscarriage and is in relation to heavy periods.

However I still feel it's an outrage and demonstrates that women's health issues aren't been taken seriously. Women will be expected to put up with crippling monthly pain and flooding?

Is it perhaps for women who decline the option of things like the coil or the pill for whatever reason.....and I do understand not wanting to put hormones in your body. I had an ablation for heavy periods and I would have been very upset if I'd been told to put up with it. I was constantly anemic so it affected my health.

I think it's awful. I agree about women's health care being trivialised by patriarchal structures (including health authorities). And I think underfunding has put pressure on NICE to withdraw funding in various areas.

But, to be fair, this list does not include anything NICE agrees the NHS should fund. NICE does not approve NHS funding for D&Cs for heavy periods.

NICE guidelines recommend that D&C is not offered as a diagnostic or treatment option for heavy menstrual bleeding, as there is very little evidence to suggest that it works to investigate or treat heavy periods. Ultrasound scans and camera tests, with sampling of the lining of the womb (hysteroscopy and biopsy), should be used to investigate heavy periods. Medication and intrauterine devices (IUS), as well as weight loss (if appropriate) should be used to treat heavy periods.

www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/04-b-pb-04-07-2018-ebi-consultation-document.pdf

I understand the concerns expressed here about privatisation by stealth but with regard to treatment after miscarriage then it would appear that surgery is still available on the NHS if clinically indicated.

The list also calls the procedure a D+C but if my memory serves me correctly the procedure carried out after a miscarriage is called "evacuation of retained products of conception" or ERPC. Happy to be corrected by anyone with more up to date knowledge of gynae surgery.

I think it's also important to recognise the risks of anaesthetic and it seems eminently sensible to avoid this risk if a safe non surgical option is available.

I would guess that the charge for a D+C relates to procedures carried out that are not funded by commissioners because the evidence for efficacy is low. This is no way denies the issue of inequality in access to healthcare which, from personal experience, I think is a very real problem for many women.

www.nhs.uk/conditions/miscarriage/what-happens/