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Telling me if it was all ok

Posted By They forgot me

"Telling me if it was all ok"

About: Broome Health Campus / Emergency Department

(as the patient),

I was nearly 7 weeks pregnant, and after a miscarriage in late last year, and experiencing the same symptoms recently, I reported straight to ED at the Broome Hospital (as I recall I was advised to do last time by my GP).

I recall after waiting 2 hours in the waiting room, I was finally taken through. The doctor got the ultrasound machine and I believe said this wasn't their area of expertise, but they would try and see what they could see.

Basically the only information I had, was that 'the sac' was in the uterus, and appeared to be in the correct place - so ruled out an ectopic pregnancy. As I understand it, I’d have to come back in a couple of days to see if the baby is alive when there is someone in radiography.

I felt pretty stressed out, and furious, that as I understand I, there was not a single person in the hospital that day that could give me a scan to indicate anything further than 'it’s in the right spot'. I asked if I could be placed on the waiting list over the weekend in case radiology were called in for other urgent matters, I believe the answer was no, not all their radiologists do ultrasounds, if I don't hear from anyone, give radiology a call.

Late last year, when I presented with the same symptoms, I recall I waited over 4 hours in the ED waiting room, but at least when I got through the doctor scanned me (in ED) and was able to tell me straight away there was no heartbeat and the foetus they could see was measuring about 8 weeks when I should have been 11 weeks at that point. I was then sent off to radiology to have this result confirmed.

It seemed to me there was not a single person in that hospital trained enough who could give me an ultrasound on a weekend. I just don't think 'come back later' was a good enough answer. And if that was always going to be the answer, perhaps a staff member could have given me that information when I first presented and saved me wasting my time, in my opinion.

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Responses

Response from Jared Watts, Director of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, WA Country Health Service 2 years ago
Jared Watts
Director of Obstetrics and Gynaecology,
WA Country Health Service

Submitted on 28/01/2022 at 1:45 AM
Published on Care Opinion at 9:42 AM

Dear They Forgot Me,

I am sorry to hear of the difficult time you have had with your miscarriage last year and the concerning symptoms you have had recently. You must have been very worried and apprehensive.

Early pregnancy is a difficult time with a number of women experiencing bleeding and pain. It is true that often only an ultrasound can tell if a pregnancy is still progressing well. The challenge is that a doctor needs extensive training and specialised ultrasound equipment to be able to see an early heartbeat and measure the pregnancy in the first few weeks. It is easier to see if the pregnancy is in the right place and not an ‘ectopic’ which needs emergency treatment. Like all specialised skills, we have only a few doctors and sonographers that have undertaken the many months of training it takes to be able to perform detailed early pregnancy ultrasounds. Even at King Edward Hospital, they are not able to routinely perform early pregnancy scan at all times.

Realising how stressful this time of ‘not knowing’ is for women and their families, Broome Hospital has started one of the first Early Pregnancy Assessment Services (EPAS) outside of Perth. After months of planning, from next week if a woman presents with concerning symptoms to the Emergency Department or to their local GP, if they are suitable, they will be able to be referred and booked into this clinic run by our Obstetric doctors. These doctors will be able to provide scans and advice regarding all aspects of early pregnancy. This will hopefully reduce some of the stress for women, such as yourself, knowing that now just like at King Edward Hospital, they will be able to see one of the specialist doctors within the week and receive expert and personalised advice and treatment.

Listening to your story, I would be very interested to learn how we can assist women over weekends and afterhours when specialised ultrasound services are not available. My name is Jared Watts and I am the lead obstetrician and gynaecologist in the Kimberley. Should you have any suggestions on this or how we can ensure the new Early Pregnancy Assessment Services is accessible and helpful for all Broome women, please contact me by email jared.watts@health.wa.gov.au or by phone on 08 9194 2222.

Kind Regards

Jared Watts

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