Miscarriage Care and Facilities in Scotland: Scoping Report NHS Orkney

Miscarriage management and information

The Lancet series on Miscarriage Matters stated that women should be presented with the available evidence about miscarriage management and be free to choose the management approach that suits their needs and preferences.

Choice of management option

All Health Boards in Scotland reported that they ensure that women can choose their preferred method of management of miscarriage. However, the geography in Scotland has implications for women in terms of how they can access their chosen approach.

Written information

All Health Boards in Scotland said that they provide written information about the treatment options for the management of miscarriage and what to expect in terms of miscarriage care. However, not all sites where women may present for miscarriage care said that they provide written information on treatment options or what to expect.

In NHS Orkney, Balfour Hospital provides written information about the treatment options for the management of miscarriage and what to expect next in terms of miscarriage care to women. They also said that they provide written information to women about services including third party services for mental health support and bereavement services following a loss, to all women at Balfour Hospital (Table 10).

Information about management options

As well as written information, Balfour Hospital strongly agreed that what will happen during and after the chosen method of management of miscarriage and what happens in terms of follow-up after the management of miscarriage is fully explained to women (Table 11).