Are miscarriage related GP visits still free?

Gwen Cooper

Hi all,

I had a miscarriage just over a week ago and while I had very light bleeding and had the occasional cramps (and apart from the mental torture) it was relatively peaceful.

I noticed that in the last 48 hours the bleeding is nearly gone. However today I woke up with really bad cramps in my stomach, headache and small pain in my ear (from experience this usually indicates an incoming issue). I'm quite gassy and it's possible that the pain is coming from that.

However, since I need to look out for any signs of infection after a miscarriage, I'm thinking that I should see my GP.

Funds are extremely low at the moment (I was on bed rest for 2 and half weeks and illness benefit went pretty much towards rent) so I'm wondering if I do end up going to my GP, would it still be covered under the pregnancy care scheme? Because it is still pregnancy related, but at the same time I don't think it applies anymore since the baby is gone.

Any advice on this would be much appreciated.

Thanks!

shesty

Mm....I am going to hazard a guess and say officially no, it's not covered, but your GP may be decent and not charge you.
If you only had light bleeding and cramps and that was it,it may well be that this is still related, and is the major part of it, so to speak.But to be honest, I am not sure.Maybe if you felt ok to do it, you could talk to the receptionist?Or even ring and ask your GP to call back so you could explain your situation?

bovril

Could you ring the emergency department of the hospital you attended and see if they can advise you or even see you?

posy2010

bovril wrote: »

Could you ring the emergency department of the hospital you attended and see if they can advise you or even see you?

Yes, this. After mine in February I just rang a midwife as the bleeding was never ending. Thinking of you at this time.

Neyite

Don't ring the EPU. Turn up instead.

If you ring (in my experience) they will try to fob you off to your GP. However a midwife told me on a subsequent appointment after being denied a (necessary) appointment that they can't turn you away from the clinic without examination and if I ever was in the same situation, to just go into them. Just be vague at the desk, you began to miscarry last week and now have a lot of pain and cramping that is new and unlike the last few days. They can't NOT check that out.

More than likely it might just be regular stomach upset or wind but you are right to be cautious and you are right to want to get it checked out because if it is an infection, you need it treated right away.

PhoenixParker

I would go to the hospital. They can do scans and blood tests quickly to see what's going on.

If there's something you actually need a doctor for, chances are you'll have to go in anyway.

Gwen Cooper

Thanks for the responses everyone, it stopped later that day, so it must have been something I ate combined with stress