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?

Unfortunately the doctor has the right not to perform the procedure, whether that's right or wrong is one debate. But you would think if there are three doctors, two who would perform the procedure then common sense would be to switch doctors between cases so everyone gets the care they need!

I'm fuming on your behalf.

Let's keep this thread current because everybody needs to know about this horrendous treatment.

This is shocking. Ask to speak to chief executive and say you will contact the press. Really hope you get sorted soon x

OP I am so sorry you are in this position. You very clearly need an urgent medical procedure that is being denied to you. I, like you, can't quite believe this is happening in the UK in 2019.

This is exactly why I have a problem with people being able to practice as specialist doctors but opt-out of the bits they don't fancy. "Religious reasons" are not good enough - for goodness sake don't go to med school or specialise in an area of medicine that you are not willing to fully practice if you have religious or any other objections.

How that doctor could look you in the eye and think that it was appropriate to say she wasn't judging you is a complete mystery to me. Likewise telling you you aren't at increased risk of infection when its fucking obvious to a layperson and another fucking doctor has fucking confirmed it!!

You took very sensible precautions to prevent pregnancy by using the coil.
You have been flooding after your procedure and have a medical history of womb infection and sepsis, and you and the doctors know that you are at high risk of the same again. Sepsis is about as fucking serious as infections get.

Heartbeat or no, the foetus is most likely not viable at this point.

Your health and life is at acute risk and yet she, a qualified and capable medical fucking professional, can stand in front of you and refuse to do the already scary and risky procedure you very clearly need but don't worry, she's not fucking judging you. She can fuck the fuck off treating any women for anything, if her moral compass is still telling her that it's right to make you wait 24 hours of more risk, until somebody else comes along who is willing to do the very fucking clearly needed thing and all she can say is that she's not fucking judging you!!! I'm SO ANGRY on your behalf!!

I'm sorry. My ranting isn't going to help you. My only advice is for you and your relatives to be as big a pain in the ass to the department as you can be; escalate, talk loudly and assertively (NOT aggressively) to them, repeat that a DOCTOR has said you are at increased risk of infection, that you have a medical history of womb infection and sepsis and need this treatment NOW not tomorrow. ASK LOUDLY what they are doing too ensure you get treated today. Ask loudly for doctors' conflicting messages to be written on your notes. Ask loudly for updates, and for them to be written on your notes every half hour or hour. Ask loudly what the urgent complains procedure is, and follow it. Explain loudly your symptoms. Be polite. Be INSISTENT.

Not sure if this is helpful but based on where you are you could get to a private clinic.

www.mariestopes.org.uk/find-us/

It's an unwanted cost but at least you will be treated fairly and without judgement.

Truly awful situation, completely unfair. I hope you get to be with your family, especially your baby sometime today.

I’m so sorry OP, this is horrifying. I cannot believe that a doctor of any religion could leave a human being to suffer like this and claim it’s on moral grounds - this is utterly immoral.

Horrified that you are in this awful situation. I am so angry at the idea that they are not only risking your life but exacerbating your trauma in the name of religion. Sorry that you have been put in this position

Bloody hello tinyteatime. I'm so angry on your behalf. We could take to twitter on your behalf?

I’ve spoken to a lady from PALS, she’s going to speak to someone ASAP

I can't believe they are so casual with women's health these days, when much better procedures and diagnosis is available. It seems to translate into longer waits instead of better treatment. When I had a miscarriage over 25 years ago, the GP sent me to the ward and I was sorted 24 hrs later.

Ireland seems to have much better support with women's health groups despite the problems with laws. It seems that we may have had laws in place for quite some time, but these are now being undermined by the action of individuals who feel they have special reasons to be outside the law. Individual belief trumps law and reality. Seems to be a theme.

Fucks sake, this is an outrageous risk to your health.

Are you at least being treated for the infection risk?

Is there anything we can do to help?

well done, I hope you get what you need very soon.

Tinytea Hopefully PALS can get you help. So sorry you are going through this.

Our nearest town's very large teaching hospital is considered to be a centre of excellence for obstetric/gynae care and there are apparently now only a very small number of doctors there willing to carry out terminations. It's a fucking outrage and shouldn't be optional IMO. Hope you get the care that you need and that is your right OP

This is shocking!

I'm so sorry OP and I hope the person from PALS is able to get you the care you need

This is disgraceful. I am horrified for you.

I am pleased PALS are helping you and hope something is sorted soon.

I would suggest that you take the full names of all doctors you speak to and mention that you will be taking legal advice regarding their failure to provide appropriate treatment. I would also contact the hospital CEO and let them know that you intend to pursue this through legal channels as you consider the failure to treat negligent and they will be responsible for any adverse effects caused by the delay.

When you are stronger, or if a family member will help you now (or someone on here?) also write to your MP, the Health Secretary and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

(Ffs why doesn't spell check on android recognise gynaecology as a word?)

That is utterly outrageous, sorry you're going through this when it's totally unnecessary to leave you suffering. I'd go all the way with PALS definitely.

The hospital should be supporting you to breastfeed your baby. Make sure PALS know this is an issue.

Pals haven’t got very far. I’m just told that they have a right to consciously object because it’s now classed as an elective abortion. I’m not bleeding heavily enough to endanger my life so I’m not an emergency. The anaesthetist has pretty much said if her were me he’d go home and contact my local hospital, unbelievable. Turned away from the nhs for getting an entirely legal procedure. I now wish I’d carried on bleeding, then they might have put me on the emergency list.

OMG, that's awful. Whereabouts in the country....is it Northern Ireland?

North Devon !

Jesus Christ. People who have religious objections to surgeries have no fucking place being medics. What sort his hospital hires these people to work on a gynae ward?!

I’m so sorry OP. This is absolute bullshit.

I thought dr’s had the right to refuse on religious/personal grounds, but they must refer you to a dr who will.

I’d be phong the GMC to clarify.

Also I’d be asking for ambulance transfer to the nearest hospital who will treat you.

I'm utterly appalled and raging for you. I think you've had good advice and I can't think of anything else. But I totally agree with everyone saying that the staff need to know you're going to complain and make take action for compensation.

Write down everyone's name and what they say. If nothing else it will concentrate their minds fiercely.

When I did nurse training, we were told that we could refuse to have a part in an abortion operation, BUT afterwards we had to treat the woman like any other patient and give her the same care that we would to anyone else. We had a few Catholic students and they'd asked the question. That's why I don't realise why the basic care of bleeding, etc wasn't being dealt with.