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?

You poor poor love, how dare they torture you like that?

Name and shame this hospital but once you are safely as far from it as possible.

There is no place for self serving holier than thou bullshit in gynaecology, anyone picking that career needs to get over themselves or leave.

@fermerswife I couldn't read without saying fuck I am so sorry you went through that. I can't imagine how upsetting that must have been. Really hope you're ok now though I know these horrible experiences like this stay with us forever

I'm so sorry you are going through this. WTF would you choose to specialise in gynaecology if you were an "objector."

From what I can work out it actually seems that most of the consultant gynaecologists at this hospital are objectors

I know this isn't the point, but from my own experience I'm genuinely surprised to hear this about a place in North Devon. I'm aware of certain areas where the weight of religious conviction can cause this issue, but yours was never among them

Sounds like things must have changed a lot since my (fairly recent) retirement ...

Record every conversation you have with these people too if you can, get as much evidence as possible of what they are doing.

Could you pack up and get back to the hospital who performed your original abortion. I thought they routinely did an ultrasound to make sure there was no heartbeat after abortion.

I'm so sorry. This is actually a thread that you want the Daily Mail to pick up on. I'm astounded that a Dr with such strong (and wrong) opinions would go into gynaecology. It shouldn't be allowed. An opinion wasting NHS time and money, plus causing pain, stress and suffering to a patient. It's outrageous!

@Puzzledandpissedoff it’s a small hospital

So sorry this has happened to your. I think you need to contact the Trust's Medical Director as soon as you feel able, to explain how outrageously you have been treated and also lodge a formal complaint. Best to start at the top when it comes to something as serious as this.

@Oncewasblueandyellowtwo it wasn’t an argument it was a question. I literally don’t know I don’t work in medicine. However it is a false equivalence from the point of view of the pro lifer you are asking them to kill. This is a massively contentious issue so it’s pretty much to be expected that you’ll find a mix of views represented within the profession.

I mean I know tonnes of people who are nominally pro-choice but wouldn’t dream of having an abortion themselves. So I can quite well imagine doctors could well be pro-choice politically but would be uncomfortable with performing the procedure themselves.

I’m all for a woman’s right to access abortions, but that is also contingent on having the medical professionals on hand willing to perform the procedure. If there aren’t enough of them I’m not sure how to go about conjuring them up from the ether.

I’m sorry, skimmed thread just to read op updates, very anxious and angry on her behalf.
Op when you get through this, which you will, with great courage as you are showing now, please go and see a solicitor for a discussion about what remedies you might have. The only thing that makes any difference to these wankers is getting sued. When we are the victim of injustice we feel impotent but threatening legal action frightens them and gives you back control. Take it from someone who knows.

tinyteatime

Its absolutely ridiculous, im so sorry you are going through this

Shocking

This is appalling. There is no room for religion in medicine.

Commenting to keep this thread going.

OP, I'm so disgusted and upset for you.

Also op, while I think on, a formal complaint to the GMC about all doctors involved, in particukar the one who made the remark about not judging you.
Put them on the rack. They’ll think more carefully next time.

OP, so sorry this is happening to you. I’m a consultant gynaecologist. Unfortunately in the U.K., doctors, even in O&G are allowed to opt out of actually performing or witnessing a termination procedure, as it’s deemed acceptable to “conscientiously object”.... note this and some types of contraception are the only part of healthcare this applies to. IMHO, sex discrimination and contrary to GMC guidance linked to by PP above.
They are NOT allowed to withdraw from arranging the procedure in a timely fashion or paperwork etc. Nurses are NOT allowed to refuse to care for you. It is NOT acceptable for the only doctors on duty to refuse to manage an emergency case due to their beliefs - either they proceed with the surgery or arrange someone else to do it without delay.
Units should be arranged such that cover is available 24/7 for these circumstances.
The only advice I can give is to ask to speak to the consultant who is in charge of your care (unclear if you have only seen registrars till now), and for a second opinion if need be if that consultant is an objector.
If there is still a heartbeat, this is a threatened miscarriage. If there is no heartbeat this is an incomplete abortion. You are spot on that you are high risk for infection due to prolonged bleeding already and history of such. Well done for staying so strong and focussed.
This is what drove me out of general NHS O&G, actually, the casual acceptance of denigration of women and questionable agenda of those who choose to go into this specialty with those views... BPAS and an organisation called Doctors for Choice could be v helpful.

Once this is all over, I would be expecting some detailed feedback from the Trust on why they deem this to be acceptable care.
Keep us informed if you can, OP.

I’m sorry you’re having to deal with this OP.

For those interested in access to abortion this makes a worrying read

www.theguardian.com/world/2017/oct/24/women-abortion-rights-service-crisis-nhs-no-specialist-doctors

An opinion wasting NHS time and money, plus causing pain, stress and suffering to a patient and her baby and family, and putting patient at greater risk of infection.There is an actual real life baby here. Funny how the pro-life doctors don't give a shit about the existing baby or impacts on him. Not even finding a room to allow bf to continue.

So angry on your behalf OP. And Barrackers post is spot on. Many religions ban alcohol - are doctors from those religions allowed to refuse to treat any alcohol related injuries or illnesses? No, and the only difference I can see is that that would affect men too. Sex discrimination I think.

Reading this made my blood boil a bit. I have been in a similar situation a few years ago. Contraception failed me, BPAS referred me to my local hospital for a medical abortion. It was a difficult decision to make but the timing was wrong. The nurse told me she would be able to perform the procedure on that day only to have one of the doctors refusing to sign it off due to religion.

I had the same issue as you afterwards with retained tissue and it honestly was one of the most painful and upsetting things I have had to go through.

I believe that once you have made the decision to follow a medical profession you have to put this above any religion or personal ethical clashes. It's profession that directly impacts people's so their actions must be ruled by logic and not personal bias.

I must be really thick as I thought that Op had had an abortion so what needs doing now isn't an abortion??

So it's very worrying that anyone is refusing on any grounds.

If hospitals employ these pick & choose medics, then they must surely at least HAVE to ensure that there aren't so many rostered on at any one time that it prevents full services being offered?

That nice advice from a doctor. I’m a lawyer and I say sue the bastards, and complain to every regulator going.
They really won’t like that. Which means they might do better next time.

However it is a false equivalence from the point of view of the pro lifer you are asking them to kill. This is a massively contentious issue so it’s pretty much to be expected that you’ll find a mix of views represented within the profession.

This isn't the case here. She has already had an abortion. If she is having a miscarriage it needs to be managed for her safety.

Whoever made the point about HCPs not being able to refuse treatment to a murderer or a terrorist is spot on. In fact, I’ve read interviews with doctors and nurses in the wake of terrorist attacks where they discuss having to “switch off” their feelings for the killers and just do their jobs.

But it’s different when it’s a woman not wanting to be pregnant, isn’t it? Suddenly it’s totally fine to pile on the objection and withhold care.

@Tinyteatime they are endangering your life. You can contact Sepsis UK before 4:00pm
sepsistrust.org/support-enquiry/

Or tweet @sepsisuk

They need to speak to the most senior medic at the NHS Trust to get this sorted asap

You have had sepsis already and been told that you are vulnerable to reinfection. THAT should be a green light for URGENT treatment, to delay is unjustifiable on any grounds.