Miscarriage Care and Facilities in Scotland: Scoping Report NHS Shetland

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.

In NHS Shetland, Gilbert Bain Hospital provides care for first trimester miscarriages only. Women experiencing miscarriage in the second trimester are referred to a tertiary centre in NHS Grampian, however, if a woman has family support in another Health Board area NHS Shetland will refer to another site if requested.

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 Shetland, Gilbert Bain Hospital reported that they provide written information on the treatment options for the management of miscarriage and what to expect next in terms of miscarriage care on site. Written Information about services including third party services for mental health support following a loss is not currently provided at Gilbert Bain Hospital, although local leaflets directing women to SANDS^[7] are provided following a pregnancy loss. Leaflets from the Miscarriage Association, Mariposa Trust and NHS leaflets detailing next steps are also provided to women (Table 11).

Information about management options

As well as written information, the Gilbert Bain Hospital agreed that what will happen during the chosen method of management, is explained fully to women. They neither agreed nor disagreed that what will happen after the chosen method of management or what will happen in terms of follow up (Table 12).