Poor NHS services add to misery of miscarriages say surveys

A Mumsnet poll of around 1,400 women who had a miscarriage in the last decade found 63 per cent of women who miscarried at home following a hospital scan were not offered adequate pain relief.

Almost half (48 per cent) of those who were in hospital for their miscarriage were treated alongside pregnant women or those with newborn babies, causing unnecessary distress.

More than a fifth (21 per cent) of those referred for a scan had to wait three days or more for it while 35 per cent of women who needed a surgical procedure had to wait four days or longer. Overall, 29 per cent said the information provided by healthcare staff was poor or inadequate.

More than one in 10 (11 per cent) of women did not tell family or friends about their miscarriage.

A second gurgle.com survey of more than 500 women who miscarried found 14 per cent were told they needed to experience four or more in a row before they could be tested for a cause.

Recommendations are for women to be referred after suffering three miscarriages in a row.

The poll also found 62 per cent of women were given no information by their GP about further testing following miscarriage.

Some 12 per cent of women were placed on the labour ward to recover after a miscarriage and 32 per cent were put on a general ward.

Almost half (44 per cent) said they did not feel they were treated sensitively by medical staff after their miscarriage.

Some 69 per cent said there was not enough support to women to help increase the chances of a subsequent healthy pregnancy.

Mumsnet members have developed a five-point Miscarriage Code of Care, calling for supportive staff, access to scans and more information on treatment.

Mumsnet co-founder Justine Roberts said: “There is no getting away from the hurt of miscarriage, but there are a number of simple changes that could make a considerable difference to the level of trauma miscarrying parents undergo.

“We’re asking national and local politicians and health care providers to get behind our Code of Care to improve the treatment received by women who miscarry.”

Professor Tom Bourne, consultant gynaecologist at Imperial College NHS Trust, London, said: “Possible miscarriage is one of the most common reasons women are seen in hospital.

“The Mumsnet Code of Care addresses some of the fundamental principles involved in caring for women at this difficult time and is to be applauded.”

Jane Brewin, chief executive of support charity Tommy’s, said: “Once again, Mumsnet has highlighted the distress felt by so many mums when they suffer a miscarriage.

“Sadly, one in four mums will miscarry at some point during pregnancy, and Tommy’s thinks this is unacceptably high.

“More research is needed to understand what goes wrong and to treat those affected.”

Nifa McLaughlin, editor of gurgle.com, said: “Whether a woman miscarries at eight or 18 weeks, it is still the loss of a child and will be felt as such.”

Health minister Anne Milton said: “Miscarriage is devastating for women and their partners, so it is essential that they get the best care to deal with the physical and emotional effects.

“We welcome the Mumsnet Miscarriage Care campaign and Code of Care in raising awareness of this issue.

“Every woman who has a miscarriage should be given high quality care to meet their individual needs and help them through the trauma.”