"Heartbreaking waiting times"

When I first found out I had a miscarriage (at 10 weeks) I was directed to an appointment at Box Hill at the Early Pregnancy Assessment Clinic. In my weak and vulnerable state, I was asked to wait in the maternity waiting room to be seen by a doctor. I had a 9am appointment and I wasn't even acknowledged until after 11am. I was surrounded by understandably excited, happy, pregnant women and their partners waiting to be seen by their midwives for their checkups. I sat in this room for in excess of 2 hours without any indication that I was on the list or that a doctor even knew that I was there. It was not until I asked for information a third time that I was then put in a room to wait another half an hour by the doctor.

Recently I discovered I had retained products after my D&C procedure so I was directed back to the Early Pregnancy Assessment Clinic to discuss what was going to most likely result in a follow-up procedure. I went for an ultrasound and came back. I ended up waiting close to 5 hours in the maternity waiting room, again, to be told my results. 

This treatment and the excessive waiting times are unacceptable for women who have been through such a traumatic experience. It isn't fair that we have to wait in a general waiting room with women who are having appointments for a reality that was tragically cut short for some. This system doesn't take into account the emotional toll that waiting can have on you, especially in the reduced capacity that you are in after a miscarriage. 

I hope that a separate waiting space can be set up for women in my position so that more transparency, information, and support can be given to women and their partners in such a scary, emotional time as during and after a miscarriage.