Miscarriage Care and Facilities in Scotland: Scoping Report NHS Western Isles

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 Western Isles, all management options are provided at Western Isles Hospital with Uist and Barra Hospital and Barra Community Hospital referring women to Western Isles Hospital for medical and surgical management options.

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.

All sites in NHS Western Isles stated that the same pathway of care for miscarriage treatment is used across all available departments on each site. All sites in NHS Western Isles reported that women are provided with written information on treatment options for the management of miscarriage and what to expect next in terms of miscarriage care. All three sites also indicated that they provide written information on services for mental health and bereavement following a loss (Table 11).

Information about management options

As well as written information, all three sites in NHS Western Isles 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 12).