Woman slams ‘unacceptable’ 2 week wait for surgery at Cambridge Hospital after ’emotionally traumatic’ miscarriage

She said her husband feared she was ‘going to die’ at one point

A woman who experienced a miscarriage was originally told a needed surgery could be done in around two weeks before she was later rushed to hospital in an emergency. The woman, 35, and her husband had been undergoing IVF privately and became pregnant in July following their second embryo transfer.

The woman, who asked not to be named, experienced a miscarriage which was confirmed on August 13. After the miscarriage was confirmed, she opted for surgical management to remove the remaining pregnancy tissue.

However, the couple claim they were told Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge could not provide the surgery for around two weeks, due to a lack of available surgical capacity/cover.

At the time, the woman raised concerns about whether it was safe or appropriate for a woman with a confirmed miscarriage requiring surgical management to be left waiting for this length of time. She was particularly worried about the risks of bleeding, retained pregnancy tissue and infection, adding it was “unacceptable”.

Following concerns raised by the 35-year-old of the potential risks, a midwife booked her in at another hospital for August 21, more than a week after the miscarriage was confirmed. She was then rushed to Addenbrooke’s Hospital by ambulance after haemorrhaging in the early hours of August 18, days prior to her scheduled surgery at another hospital.

The 35-year-old said she had developed significant bleeding and was passing large clots. She described them as the size of “golf balls”.

She was told she would not receive a scan until the following morning (August 19). The bleeding continued and her blood pressure reportedly dropped. Following escalation, her IV fluids were increased and a scan was performed.

Her blood pressure subsequently dropped again and later that day, she was taken for emergency surgery to remove the remaining pregnancy tissue. She said it was difficult for her to accept that it went from being told there was no timely surgical slot available to requiring emergency surgery after haemorrhaging.

The grieving woman felt as though it shouldn’t have reached a stage where it was an emergency. She said her husband thought she “was going to die” at one point.

The woman said her experience raised questions about “patient safety, access to urgent gynaecological care and the wider provision of care for women experiencing pregnancy loss”. She said this has been “physically and emotionally traumatic”.

Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (CUH) adheres to treatment guidelines set by the National Institute of Clinical Excellence. A CUH spokesperson said they send their “deepest sympathy” to anyone who experiences pregnancy loss and miscarriage.

After being sent home, the 35-year-old returned to the hospital within days suffering in pain. She said that it was “getting worse” over time at home and ended up being in “complete agony again”.

During this subsequent admission, she again became concerned that the seriousness of her condition was not being recognised. Tests identified infection markers, where the patient required antibiotics before being discharged, she claimed. She said she was left asking what might have happened if they had accepted the initial plan and gone home.

The woman explained that there were individual members of staff who were “exceptional” during her care. However, her concern remains with the system they are working within.

The woman added: “We were already grieving the loss of a very much wanted IVF pregnancy. We then found ourselves fighting for access to surgical care, being taken to hospital by ambulance following haemorrhaging, requiring emergency surgery and subsequently being readmitted with infection.”

She said her and her husband paid for their own IVF and said “not only is it a financial commitment but we have been wanting to do this for three years so it makes it an even harder loss. Addenbrooke’s is meant to be this gold-standard hospital but they didn’t have slots to do a procedure that was needed.”

A CUH spokesperson added: “We always aim to treat patients requiring surgical management after a miscarriage as quickly as possible, and we work with our health partners to provide alternative options so patients can be seen sooner.

“Sometimes waiting times can be longer due to growing demand for our services, but we are working hard to reduce these, and this year have increased theatre space and invested in additional staff.”