"Experience at Early Pregnancy Unit (EPU)"

I was nearly 6 weeks pregnant and started noticing blood spots. I informed my GP, who then got me an appointment with the EPU at QMC. My partner had to wait outside in corridor, but was allowed in for the scans etc. 

The scan revealed that I appeared to be in the early stages of miscarriage, and that this pregnancy wasn't viable. The sonographer was really kind and gentle. We then saw a nurse, who again was so sympathetic and kind in telling us what was seen from the scan and that I now needed to have a vaginal examination by the doctor. Compared to the nurse and sonographer, the doctor was a bit more blunt and not very considerate of what we had been told so far. After the examination, I thought I was going to be going home to let the process happen - but next thing was a different doctor coming through door saying it's time to have a cannula fitted as I'd be staying in. This second doctor kindly took a step back when we asked for explanation as to why this was happening all of a sudden, and took his time explaining what he'd been told. Bloods were taken but I didn't know what for. In-between all this, there was another nurse (Chelsea) who was really kind and compassionate, getting us food and drinks as we had been there longer than we'd anticipated.

I was then admitted into inpatients for the night to be monitored. Some swabs were taken, but I wasn't told why. In the morning, two doctors (with three nurses) did the rounds - and it was very difficult to understand what exactly they were telling me. Some of it contradicted what I'd been told before; they said the embryo was 'lower down than expected' rather than saying it was miscarrying, so I was confused as to whether to be hopeful or not. I was told I could be discharged ASAP, but I didn't understand why. I was also in visible distress, and the doctors didn't seem to pay attention to this at all. In the end, I had to text my friend (a GP) about what I had been told, and they explained back to me in plain English - this is what I needed. My partner rang the ward too to ask for explanation as I didn't understand: the nurse told partner they couldn't explain over the phone and that I had been told what's happening, with my partner replying that yes this was true but that I didn't understand what I had been told. After this the doctor did come over again and explained a bit more what had happened.

I also requested some prescription painkillers to take home with me, and also confided in the doctor whether I could have something for anxiety too as I had been in a highly anxious state for several days and couldn't sleep. The doctor informed me that they would get me some diazepam. It took six hours for this prescription to come through and to be discharged - only to find out that the doctor never prescribed the diazepam, just the painkillers. It felt like the final 'nail in the coffin' of an already emotionally exhausting 24 hours.

I cannot fault the nurses, midwives and sonographer here at all. They were fantastic, and often acted as a 'translator' of sorts for what the doctors were saying. I think the doctors forget that while these presenting issues are routine for them (i.e. they may see several early miscarriages a day), for the patient it might their first ever experience of such a health issue, as it was in my case. Patients will also vary as to what information they want - in my case, it would have been so useful to know why all these different tests (blood test, swabs etc) were being done to help alleviate some of my anxieties.