Support offered to women who have suffered ectopic pregnancy
- 04.11.2016
- HannahBottomley
- Clinical-negligence, Opinion, Clinical-negligence, Opinion
New guidelines come into force today in relation to the management of ectopic pregnancies as reported by the Royal College of Midwives.
The new guidelines “provide evidence-based information on the diagnosis and management of ectopic pregnancies, including the surgical, pharmacological or conservative treatment options available and the level of support that should be offered to women.”
I think it's very reassuring that there will be guidelines with the aim of ensuring consistency in the information being provided to women about ectopic pregnancies helping every woman who goes through this loss to be fully informed about the treatment options available to them and trying to ensure consistent support.
Too often women who have suffered the loss of a pregnancy have reported feeling that they receive little to no support and this is particularly worrying in ectopic pregnancies where the worry of future fertility may be a major concern for the woman.
Guidelines to try and ensure that all women are offered that necessary support is very reassuring but I am also very happy to note that the guidelines are looking to ensure women access the most appropriate treatment option for them.
Ectopic pregnancies can be life threatening, there is no two ways about it, a delay in diagnosis and treatment can result in a woman losing her life so having guidelines in place to ensure medical professionals are aware of the signs and symptoms of ectopic pregnancy and, most importantly, how to treat them will I hope, reduce the number of women who lose their lives to this tragic condition.
Hannah Bottomley is a clinical negligence solicitor with PotterReesDolan. Should you have any queries about clinical negligence issues and wish to speak with Hannah or any other member of the team please contact us on 0161 237 5888 or fill our online enquiry form.