Time to improve miscarriage care

UK crisis pregnancy care charity, LIFE, has reacted with sadness to figures released which reveal that 400 viable pregnancies are terminated each year due to misdiagnoses of miscarriage.

LIFE spokesperson, Joanne Hill, comments: “These figures appear to highlight a particular lack of care shown to many women experiencing miscarriage or suspected miscarriage.  A child has been lost and the tragedy can only be compounded by the knowledge that it could actually have been a successful pregnancy.

“Mumsnet have recently launched their Better Miscarriage Care Campaign calling for improved standards for women experiencing miscarriage, which we wholeheartedly support.  This latest research adds another dimension to their cause; how many of the women already poorly treated have also been victims of diagnoses resulting in the needless death of their child?

“Of course, complications can arise if a baby that has died is left inside the uterus, but practitioners clearly need to take extra care to make sure their diagnoses are correct.  By failing to do this they are failing their patients - both mother and child.

“Miscarriage is, sadly, an all too common occurrence, but this doesn't diminish the seriousness of it and the pain it can cause to women.  It is time to improve standards in this area and this must include reducing the incidences when babies are terminated due to ultrasound scan misdiagnoses.”

 END

 For further comment call 07867 744502