I’ve just been denied medical management of a failed abortion

[Tinyteatime]

I had a medical termination last Saturday, 7 weeks pregnant after my coil failed. Thought it had passed relatively easily so came away on a short holiday with my family luckily only 1.5 hours away from home. Started heavy bleeding and bad cramps yesterday, came to a&e as as advised by the BPAS clinic as I was flooding a pad and blood leaking through my trousers. Passed some very large clots. Internal scan reveals what they think is a foetal heart beat still in there. I’ve been in hospital one night and they said they would do the surgery on me this morning. I’ve just been told that all the doctors available won’t perform the procedure due to religion. This in the U.K. in 2019, in a hospital that offers abortion services. They’ve said I can stay another night and have it tomorrow, I have a breastfed baby that I’ve already been away from for one night, I’m in pain, bleeding and I’ve already had sepsis last year from a womb infection whilst giving birth so I’ve raised infection risk as a concern. I feel so angry about this. Would they deny women treatment for miscarriage? Or is it because there may still be a foetal heartbeat present? Is it simply because I’ve chosen to end the pregnancy myself? How in an nhs hospital can women be denied healthcare like this?

I have nothing to offer in the way of advice but bloody hell that is shocking! I am so sorry that you are having to go through this.

Jesus, this is disgusting. I am so sorry. I cannot believe this is happening in the UK either. Have you asked them to find you a doctor who will provide adequate care for you?

I'm very sorry you are going through this. I have no expertise to offer but you are being treated very shoddily.

This is awful, OP. I don’t have any medical knowledge or experience so the only thing I can suggest is that you hang in there, and have someone with you so they can help you keep the pressure up and keep a record of everything that happens. I hope someone else can be more helpful and that you get seen soon.

God I’m so sorry. YY to Sunkisses suggestion

Given the risks, surely they need to find a way to get this done sooner?

Oh dear OP, I just want to add that I am shocked and I cannot believe you have to now get into a row in your distressed state (I always feel vulnerable when I am in a hospital).

Is there a patient advocacy group? Could you call some women's rights group? We have some of these in Ireland but I'm not sure what to suggest to you - I hope someone comes on here who can help you IRL soon - maybe someone who can call in and help you?

And why the hell is the whole gynae dept subscribing to regressive religious dogma?

I’m really sorry OP, this is shocking.

This is an absolute disgrace. I'm so sorry this is happening to you. Is your baby able to be brought to you to feed while you wait for treatment?

Also, a woman in Ireland died from sepsis in a situation like yours so we have it under a microscope. Do you know someone who knows some senior policitican? A good journalist? Someone who will make this public and kick up a fuss?

Oh God I'm also sorry. This is utterly disgraceful. Personal opinions have no place in medicine

Also perhaps put this in a more general forum to get more traction on the story - not everyone reads the feminism board, although you are also on the front page. See if MHHQ can get you on the trending list.

I’m so sorry. What can we do? Anyone got suggestions? Can you ring the clinic and inform them? This is unacceptable. I hope you’re ok.

Can you have a chat with PALS?

This can be life threatening, they cannot leave you like this.

This is a disgrace, so sorry op.

No advice but commenting to keep you on the front page and hopefully someone who knows what can be done will be along soon.

I'm horrified, I was expecting you to say you were in the US

If the hospital offer some abortions services I presume you're in Britain rather than Northern Ireland?

hope you get treatment soon

Funny how religion always works in one way only. Man created God in his own image.

Tell your dh about this thread. Whereabouts are you? General - north/south/east/west?

I'm hoping someone can come on the thread with practical advice about how you can have your urgent medical needs met.

There are 2 doctors apparently here who will do it. But they are busy all day, one of the doctors who refused who I’ve spoken to seems sympathetic, and said she will try to get them to fit me in but how can I trust her to do so? ‘I’m not judging you’ she said, well yes you fucking are. She also looked me straight in the face and said I wasn’t at risk of infection. A total lie. I explained I’d already been told by the doctor I saw yesterday that there will be increased risk of infection. Ive told them that I’m on holiday and my family have no where to stay here after tomorrow, I have a reliant breastfed baby, and I had sepsis last year, and I’m in plain and bleeding. I hope she relays all this info on my behalf to get them to see I really need treating. Luckily we brought my mum on holiday with us so dh can come in to support me whilst she has our 2dc. Sorry for the rambling I’m just so shocked and upset. I can’t see a way out if they say they can’t do it other than packing up and going back to my local hospital.

This is disgusting. People should not be allowed to practice medicine if they can't see past their own biases and superstitions.

This is horrific and disgraceful. Those doctors should be ashamed of themselves and I honestly believe they have no right to work in the nhs in that specialty.

OP, your hospital will have a complaints team. Absolutely lodge a formal complaint about this. Outrageous.

Try and get it all in writing, add it to your notes. And ask your dh to take notes.

Yes the hospital offer abortions, I asked what they’d do if I’d actually had the procedure done here? Would they turn away a heavily bleeding woman who had complications caused by a procedure that THEY had performed in this hospital? It’s fucking outrageous. I can’t believe this is happening in the U.K. either.

Oh good grief. I am so sorry this is happening to you, OP.