A Gloucestershire business owner has spoken of her devastation after receiving an NHS letter reminding her of a pregnancy scan appointment, just two weeks after suffering a heartbreaking miscarriage.
"A Kick in the Stomach" After Tragic Loss
Abi Evans, 30, experienced the tragic loss of her pregnancy on January 20th after a scan at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital revealed her pregnancy sac was empty. The mum-of-one had been approximately ten weeks pregnant at the time of the devastating diagnosis.
During her follow-up appointment, Abi specifically asked hospital staff whether her future pregnancy appointments would be cancelled. She was reassured by what she described as "loving, caring" medical professionals that everything would be sorted and she shouldn't worry.
Unexpected Correspondence Causes Further Distress
Just two weeks after her miscarriage, Abi received correspondence from the NHS that felt like "a kick in the stomach." The letter reminded her that she was due for her next pregnancy scan, directly contradicting the assurances she had received from hospital staff.
"Through teary eyes and broken voice at my follow up appointment for a second scan to confirm the empty sac, I asked if future appointments would be cancelled," Abi explained. "I was reassured and told it would all be sorted and not to worry."
The unexpected letter brought up a flood of emotions for Abi, reminding her of how far along her pregnancy should have been at that point.
Initial Pregnancy Joy Turns to Heartbreak
Abi and her partner Jevan Brown, 32, had been overjoyed when they discovered Abi was pregnant shortly after she removed her contraceptive coil. The couple felt "blessed" that conception had happened so quickly, with Abi discovering her pregnancy at just four weeks.
Their initial scan appeared promising, showing a healthy single pregnancy with a confirmed heartbeat. Medical staff noted a subchorionic haematoma but reassured Abi this was nothing to worry about, though she might experience some bleeding.
Confusion and Lack of Explanation
After passing a small bloody clot following Christmas, Abi contacted NHS 111 and was referred to the early pregnancy unit for reassurance. During her scan two days later, she received the devastating news that her pregnancy sac was empty.
"This was obviously devastating and I never expected this to be the case," Abi said. "It was very confusing as the nurses could not give a definite answer. So we were very unaware of why and how it was empty. There was no explanation given, just that the sac was empty and no embryo present."
Following her diagnosis of a missed miscarriage, Abi opted for medical miscarriage surgery to complete the process.
Communication Breakdown Between Departments
While praising the individual care she received from NHS staff, Abi highlighted what she sees as a significant communication failure between different hospital departments.
"I would like to say that communication needs to be better across departments," she stated. "I understand it may be automatic but this should have been flagged as soon as the miscarriage was confirmed. I really hope I don't receive more letters or notifications regarding this pregnancy as it'll be very upsetting and unsettling."
Hospital Apology and Process Review
A spokesperson for Gloucestershire Royal Hospital offered a sincere apology to Abi Evans, acknowledging how upsetting the correspondence must have been following her distressing experience.
"We are deeply sorry that this letter was sent following such a distressing experience and offer our sincere apologies to Abi Evans," the spokesperson said. "We recognise how upsetting this will have been and are reviewing our processes to ensure this does not happen again."
The hospital trust emphasised its commitment to providing the highest standards of care and compassion to all patients, and encouraged Abi to contact their Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) for a full investigation of her concerns.
For Abi, the experience represents the "worst start to the new year" after sharing the joyful pregnancy news with family members, including her child, during the Christmas period.
