Midwives Urge Psychological Care After Miscarriage
Women who suffer miscarriages are not getting enough support from the health care community, says the Finnish Union of Midwives. They say that while miscarriages are usually outpatient cases, the women’s mental health is largely ignored.
One in six pregnancies in Finland ends in miscarriage. This is around 17,000 cases a year.
"Bleeding might start in the middle of the workday and you have to rush to the hospital. If needed, dilatation and curettage is performed and the patient is on the ward for a few hours. After that, she goes home and that's the end of it," says Union deputy chair Päivi Perttu, who is also a working midwife in Oulu.
She feels that women and their families are often left to deal with the sorrow on their own. Perttu feels that midwives need to be given more time to follow up with miscarriage patients, and offer them psychological help if needed.
The Finnish Union of Midwives says that post-procedure guidelines need to be set on a national level, taking their cue from areas in Finland where more attention is paid to psychological care.
"There are areas in Finland where excellent personal attention is paid to this large patient group," says Union chair Terhi Virtanen. "But as a rule families are left with no psychological support after the immediate medical treatment."