"Lack of Support/Follow Through/Note Updating"

I’m writing about my experience at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow, and the greater midwife system.

Earlier in the year I found out I was pregnant and was obviously ecstatic at the news, I completed a private scan at 8 weeks which showed a viable baby with a good heartbeat, and completed my first midwife check.

The weekend when I was 12 weeks 5 days pregnant I started bleeding and cramping. I called in repeatedly to the early pregnancy assessment line but was unable to get through on any extension or to get a phone call back.

I went into the ER feeling very alone and concerned. I was triaged and bloods were taken, after which I was sent to maternity. At maternity I was checked in then sat alone for two hours, no one checked in over the two hours or gave an update as to when I would be seen.

I had my friend step out of the room to ask what was happening and we were told the doctors were busy. I understand everyone is busy but it would have taken two seconds to check and verify how I, as the patient was doing.

Finally a doctor came in and after quickly going through my symptoms told me it was now too late for a qualified scan but that they could offer a cursory scan as long as I understood that she wouldn’t be able to interpret it. During the scan they did see a heartbeat but they were very sorry. I asked them to clarify why they were sorry and they said I should get booked in with a qualified person in the early pregnancy unit to get an answer. The doctor told me they would call the next day to book the appointment to just keep my schedule open and sent me home.

The next day mid-morning I received a phone call, which started with the staff member telling me on the line that they wanted 48 hours between the blood draws so I wouldn’t come in until the following day and that it didn’t look good due to my low HCG (Human chorionic gonadotropin ) hormone level. I clarified that I had never been told my HCG level. They were surprised that I hadn’t been told it the night before, and after telling it to me, they again stated they were sorry.

I continued to bleed and cramp that day then the next morning it became worse, I called into early pregnancy who advised I was to come straight in. After arriving I was placed in a private room but started to experience worse pain, I sent my fiancé to get some help since I needed pain killers and didn’t know what was happening, they escorted me down the hallway to the doctor and I passed the baby.

After the miscarriage it was explained to me that I was young and healthy and that this shouldn’t happen again, which is the exact opposite thing someone who has just lost a baby wants to hear. I was also told I could send the baby in for foetal testing to try and determine what had gone wrong, the literature in the leaflet explained that due to testing not enough material may be left for a full private cremation. I went home heartbroken but hopeful of answers for future pregnancies.

I waited two weeks to pursue answers since I was told the testing could take that long. I started by calling the midwife unit to question if the foetal results would come to them and was congratulated upon reaching 15 weeks. I had to quickly correct the member of staff and told them to correct my notes. At which point I ended the call as I was too distraught to speak.

I then contacted the early pregnancy assessment unit for follow-up on the foetal testing. They told me that the results had come back as normal for 8 weeks gestation. I asked for further clarification if development had stopped, what the tissue samples had come back as etc.…they stated that the Pathology team only looks at the foetus, I told them that was very frustrating since the literature provided to the parents gave the implication that actual testing would be performed. I would have never consented to testing if it was only to look at the foetus, I could have done that myself and what was I supposed to gain from this for protection of future pregnancies, since I was actually 13 weeks at the time of miscarriage?

After another two weeks I called back the midwife unit to obtain my blood results taken from my first visit as they had still not been updated in badger notes. I was again congratulated on my pregnancy of now almost 17 weeks. I once again clarified I had miscarried and asked why my notes had not been updated, how unfair this was to me to be constantly reminded of what I should have, only for a simple file correction. I asked for my blood results and was told they were normal. I asked the staff member to email or print me a copy of the results since no one is perfectly normal and I wanted actual information, they were unable to provide so I wrote line by line my numbers.

Overall I did encounter some supportive and sympathetic people, but on the whole I felt ignored and forgotten by not receiving information about my condition until I asked for it and, being repeatedly told not to worry yet losing the baby. I’m worried for future pregnancies and will no doubt pursue private testing throughout in order to get timely results.