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Patients & Visitors

Early Pregnancy Assessment Clinic

D3

Criteria for referral

This service has proved invaluable in improving the care of women who have experienced bleeding in early pregnancy. Unfortunately, there have been times in the past when health care professionals and patients used the service inappropriately. Some women used the service to get a scan. This is not appropriate as it delays the treatment for women who may be miscarrying. You can get a scan you asking your doctor or midwife to arrange it for you.

For this reason and because 'genuine' patients are being compromised, we have had to enforce strict criteria. That means that patients who do not fulfil these criteria will NOT be able to use from this clinic.

  1. Patients are triaged by Nurse/Doctor and offered a scan if clinically indicated, 12 slots from 09.00 - 12.00 hours. Patients must be clinically stable.
  2. Women with amenorrhoea between 6 and 14 weeks (and positive pregnancy test) with either pelvic pain or bleeding will be scanned in EPAC.
  3. No one will be scanned without a positive pregnancy test. Scans are not a means of confirming pregnancy.
  4. There must be a minimum of six weeks amenorrhoea – scans performed at a lesser gestation are often inconclusive. They may serve to increase patient distress as often they have to wait for another scan.
  5. Women with a history of ectopic pregnancy who are asymptomatic, should have a scan through a different service organised by direct referral by your GP with an accompanying form to the ultrasound department at 7/40.
  6. Patients with a history of recurrent miscarriage will have their care planned on an individual basis in the gynaecology clinic.
  7. Women experiencing vaginal bleeding after the 14th week of pregnancy should attend the Gynaecology Emergency Clinic as they need to be assessed using sonicaid not ultrasound scan. This clinic can be accessed by your GP who can phone the Gynae Consultant/Registrar on call.

Women with a history of Molar pregnancy,if symptomless, should have a scan, organised by the GP, by direct referral to the ultrasound department.


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