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?

Thinking of you and hoping you're stable overnight.

It’s always possible you may experience heavy bleeding overnight, OP - a good guide is if you are soaking through a pad in less than an hour, straight back in to hospital without any delay. Same if you are passing large clots or in pain, feeling feverish or unwell.
So sorry you have felt forced into leaving hospital, but can completely understand your baby needs you...and not much point staying in hospital for treatment that is not yet available.

Hope you get some sleep, good food and cuddles with the little one.

Hope everything goes well and wish you a peaceful nightx

Good night tiny I hope tomorrow goes ok.

Thinking of you

Serving you I hope you feel supported and can sleep well xx

Supposed to be sending you flowers

Hope you manage to get some rest and that the surgery goes well tomorrow

'most of the consultant gynaecologists at this hospital are objectors'

I don't think you should be able to go into this area of medicine if you refuse to carry out a standard legal procedure.

You wouldn't with anything else. I can't think of any circumstance where a man would be denied treatment on faith grounds.

I am concerned that nurses can opt out of caring for women who have had abortions. Presumably that is in surgery and stuff, not on the ward?

Good luck op I am also horrified at your treatment.

Surely anyone who is unwilling to do this shouldn't be a gyneacologist?

Of course they shouldn't!

What about a terrorist who has killed numerous people(Westminster attack)- could medics have completely refused to treat him, or is this shit just reserved for women?!

I think misogyny in medicine is a women's issue

Tinyteatime, I'm stunned at reading what you have gone through.

I truly wish you all the best - you and your family.

The bloody idea that health professionals can treat a woman in need of treatment so badly, and actually deny legal treatment to women, is just disgusting. Abhorrent.

If such professionals are unwilling to provide the full range of women's services - then they should not seek employment in women's health care. That is a fairly basic idea.

@flapjackfairy

But it's the field of gynecology, why on earth would you enter this particular field if you knew you couldn't do what was required of you. And why are people being allowed to enter this field if we know they won't do their job properly

Doctors don't take the Hippocratic Oath, not for at least the past 70 years. It's a myth.

Yes and no. For us, the graduating year developed their own version based on the HO. It varies via uni and graduating year but in essence is always the same concept. You do have to abide by certain expectations and behaviours as part of your registration though and you seem to have conveniently glossed over that aspect.

tiny. I hope you get a good night's sleep, and that you get the medical care you need soon.

Huge unmumsnetty hugs to you.

Good morning, Tiny. I hope all goes well today.

Hope today brings you care of the standard the NHS should have provided promptly.

All the best for today, Op.

Good luck for today hope it's straightforward for you 💐

Good luck today. Hope your baby was happy to see you overnight xxx

Adding to the chorus, good luck today, know that you have so many of us thinking about you- and being absolutely horrified at your treatment. It's actually terrifying that this is happening right now, and there are people justifying it! Hope you receive all the compassion that was lacking before today OP

Another voice wishing you well. Hope all goes smoothly today.

Good luck op.

I’m just place marking so I don’t loose this thread. OP I am so sorry. This is very shocking but also feels to me very familiar. It’s like civilisation has drawn a fine veil over its misogyny for a while but in these situations you confront it head on. I need to RTFT but my sympathy and anger is with you and I do think you need to find a way to get help or make this public for your own safety.

Hope all goes much better for you today tiny. I'm so sorry you've been put through this appalling neglect