Dedicated staff ready to help at pregnancy advice clinic
ONE of the hardest decisions any woman may have to make is to terminate a pregnancy – but The Pregnancy Advice Service is on hand to help an individual make an informed choice.
The dedicated staff are specially trained to offer advise, counsel and information – the value of which 29-year-old Lydia, who found she was pregnant just four months after giving birth to twins, knows only too well.
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Staff nurse Lorraine Cadey, left, and Sister Janet Piper, from B1 ward at the Diana, Princess Of Wales Hospital in Grimsby.
Lydia said: "When I found out I was pregnant again, and by total accident, I had no idea what to do.
"It was the worst news possible for me personally – I'd only just had twins four months before and was still getting used to being a mum, full-stop.
"The thought of having another child so soon filled me with dread. I turned to the Pregnancy Advisory Service and they helped my husband and I decide to have a termination.
"Psychologically, it was very hard to do – we are a caring couple and love children – but we simply couldn't deal with the idea of having another so soon, and we really couldn't afford it either.
"I'm sure there are people reading this who will judge us for what we decided to do, but only when you are in that situation do you know how you feel and how you deal with it.
"I just hope – no matter what they may think of us – that they can have some empathy at least."
Sister Janet Piper and staff nurse Lorraine Cadey helped Lydia and her husband make the heartbreaking decision.
They said women could access the service via their GP, through Choices and Contraception, Advice and Sexual Health Service (Cash) clinics, or by self-referral.
Once an appointment is made, women are seen within five days at either Grimsby or Scunthorpe Hospital and given a scan to assess the gestational age of the pregnancy before treatment options can be offered.
A medical history is then taken and the patient is offered sexual health screening along with contraceptive advice, before being talked through the options available.
The legal limit for an elective termination of pregnancy is 24 weeks gestation.
Before this there are two options available, which can either be done on the same day, or a week later.:
Medical treatment – This requires taking oral and vaginal tablets over a period of 48 hours and can be offered for pregnancies from six weeks gestation onwards.
Surgical treatment – This requires having a general anaesthetic and going to the operating theatre to have the pregnancy surgically terminated. This procedure is performed between 7-12 weeks gestation.
Two weeks after the termination women are given a check-up appointment to ensure they are medically fit and coping psychologically.
Contact Choices on 01472 875237 or Cash on 0300 3301122.
3 Comments
by Upset, Nowhere in Particular
Thursday, August 26 2010, 6:57PM
“Dying to be a Mummy,
I found your comments both offensive and upsetting. You must realise that women from all walks of life have terminations for all kinds of different reasons. It is not just an easy form of contraception and it's not a decision that is made lightly.
Here is my story. Way back in the early Nineties before the morning after pill was invented I was raped. I was not in a relationship at that time and i do not 'do' flings and one night stands so I was not on the pill. A few weeks later I found out that I was pregnant. I was at the lowest point I had ever been in my life and I just wanted to go to sleep and never wake up again. I found it impossible to cope it psychologically. It was bad enough that I had been violently raped without having to spend the rest of my life looking after that monster's offspring. After many sleepless nights and much careful thought I decided that it was either a termination or think I would have ended up committing suicide. It was not a decision I made lightly. I had nowhere to turn and nobdy to talk to. I was offered no counselling either for the rape or the termination. I was just left to deal with it by myself. I was probably not in any fit state to cope with a baby at that time anyway and yes it was a contributing factor to the breakdown I had a few months later.
What would you have done in my shoes?
It's ok telling everybody that they have to be responsible for their actions but some things are beyond people's control.
I wish you every success with your fertility treatment but please rmember that some people may be going through (or have been through) a harder time than you.”
by Ann, California
Wednesday, August 25 2010, 3:23PM
“Dying to be a mummy:
The morning after pill is for those who knowingly had unprotected sex. No birth controll method is 100%, and those already using protection would not know their method had failed untill it was too late. I feel for you in your situation, but congratulate anyone who has the courage to admit they cannot properly care for, or raise a child, no matter what their reason is. There are too many unwanted children out there already - and oh how they suffer for their parents' stupidity/ignorance/selfishness - call it what you will.”
by Dying to be a mummy, Scartho
Wednesday, August 25 2010, 12:07PM
“As a woman who is dying to have a baby, this just saddens me. People don't know just how lucky they are... Why can't people just use contraception if they don't want a baby. Don't give me that ''I was using contraception and it failed'' nonsense. If that is the case then why not take the morning after pill. In this day and age, people shouldn't really need to wait to see if they are pregnant. Take some responsibility if your contraception fails.Anyone who terminates a pregnancy close to 24 weeks is digusting in my opinion. I'm sorry but it is awful! Babies can, and have, survived if they are BORN at 24 weeks! Women need to learn to take some responsibility for their actions. You can shout at me all you like , but me and my husband are currently going through fertility treatment, We're going through a hard time and it makes things worse when stories about how easily it is to get a pregnancy terminated are thrust in your face.”