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I don't think they did their job, I think they just didn't care.

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Gemini685

Guest
What is the name of your state? MA
:confused: Last summer I found that I was pregnant. On the day of my first prenatal appointment, I woke up in blood. I went to the emergency room, where I waited for atleast 1 and a half to 2 hours. I was bleeding non-stop and about to pass out. I could see them watching me as I kept running to the bathroom. They finally called my name to give me an exam, their only comment was "wow thats alot of blood" they sent me to a room for maybe an hour where i fell asleep in the bed. They woke me up to take blood and put me in a wheelchair to take me for an ultrasound. They left me in the ultrasound waiting room for about a half hour alone. They finally took me in to give me the ultrasound..They said they didn't see anything. They put me back in the hallway in the wheelchair and left me in the hallway for about another half hour, I would have got up to walk but I was too weak from bleeding all day. When I checked out the doctor had the nerve to ask me if I was sure I was pregnant in the first place. I said yes then signed the release form because I was desperate to go home. I found out later that at that hospital they do not have the equipment, nor the experience to handle situations like mine. I was told they should have taken me right away to give me blood then send me to another hospital, is there anything I can do? I know either way I may have lost my baby, but I still feel they did not do their job and I feel that they should be punished for the mistreatement of their patients..who knows what they've done to other patients? Oh yeah and the clinic that gave me the pregnancy test kept telling me I would have a miscarriage but could not give me advice on how to stop it or help me. my HCG levels were going up but not nearly enough. They simply called me one day and told me that I may have had a miscarriage already and that the baby was still inside me but they were not sure. But like I said that day was my first prenatal appt. Please give me some advice!!
 


rmet4nzkx

Senior Member
Gemini685 said:
What is the name of your state? MA
:confused: Last summer I found that I was pregnant. On the day of my first prenatal appointment, I woke up in blood. I went to the emergency room, where I waited for atleast 1 and a half to 2 hours. I was bleeding non-stop and about to pass out. I could see them watching me as I kept running to the bathroom. They finally called my name to give me an exam, their only comment was "wow thats alot of blood" they sent me to a room for maybe an hour where i fell asleep in the bed. They woke me up to take blood and put me in a wheelchair to take me for an ultrasound. They left me in the ultrasound waiting room for about a half hour alone. They finally took me in to give me the ultrasound..They said they didn't see anything. They put me back in the hallway in the wheelchair and left me in the hallway for about another half hour, I would have got up to walk but I was too weak from bleeding all day. When I checked out the doctor had the nerve to ask me if I was sure I was pregnant in the first place. I said yes then signed the release form because I was desperate to go home. I found out later that at that hospital they do not have the equipment, nor the experience to handle situations like mine. I was told they should have taken me right away to give me blood then send me to another hospital, is there anything I can do? I know either way I may have lost my baby, but I still feel they did not do their job and I feel that they should be punished for the mistreatement of their patients..who knows what they've done to other patients? Oh yeah and the clinic that gave me the pregnancy test kept telling me I would have a miscarriage but could not give me advice on how to stop it or help me. my HCG levels were going up but not nearly enough. They simply called me one day and told me that I may have had a miscarriage already and that the baby was still inside me but they were not sure. But like I said that day was my first prenatal appt. Please give me some advice!!
I'm sorry for your loss, these situations are sad and frustrating, but there is nothing that they or any other hospital could have done to save your baby. The exam, ultrasound and blood test were all that could be done, all of which can also cause more bleeding. A transfusion or transferring you to another hospital and/or any other treatment would not have saved your child and a natural miscarriage is by far the best course on the outside chance that there is a possibility of a viable pregnancy. They ruled out ectopic pregnancy and apparently as you were told the pregnancy was not viable and apparently very early in pregnancy or what is called blighted ovum. It is possible to have a twin pregnancy and lose 1 with the same symptoms you describe, and retain a viable pregnanc, also early in pregnancy ultrasound can be deceptive. If you had a bleeding or clotting disorder, it is possible that treatment may have diminished the amount of blood loss, but it would not have save the pregnancy. I suggest that if you seemed to bleed a lot, ask for a referal to a hematologist to be evaluated for bleeding/clotting disorders prior to attempting another pregnancy so that you can have appropriate monitoring, see an OB in advance and ask re possible ways to prepare for a healthy pregnancy. It doesn't appear to be malpractice.
 

ellencee

Senior Member
Gemini685
From your description of events, there is no act of malpractice or negligence. There is evidence of failure to provide for the safety of a patient and that is an event worth reporting to accrediting agencies (i.e.: JCAHO).

From your information, you knew the pregnancy had most likely self-terminated and that expelling the uterine contents was going to occur at any time. It is not relevant, but in order for efforts to be made to stop a spontaneous abortion, the pregnancy must be considerably further along than was yours.

As for blood transfusions, it is preferable to allow a healthy person to rebuild their own blood volume rather than give a blood transfusion. Blood transfusions carry inherent risks such as reactions to blood components, infections, contracting a disease, and liver problems from filtering blood cells that become damaged during the transfusion procedures.

If the hospital routinely leaves patients alone in procedure rooms or in the hallways, I'm sure the accrediting agencies would insist on improvement in patient safety and your filing of a complaint could save others from being injured while left unattended.

Best wishes,
EC
 

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