New guidance re miscarriage diagnosis
29th September 2015
The diagnosis of miscarriage can be deeply distressing, especially if it also comes as a complete shock. What it must also be, however, is absolutely accurate, and that can mean having to wait a week or more for a further scan – something many women find very hard to bear.
New research published in the British Medical Journal and commented on in their editorial and in the Guardian, confirms that scans may well need to be repeated at longer intervals than currently done in order to be absolutely certain of the diagnosis of miscarriage.
While this may increase anxiety and distress for those waiting for a repeat scan, it is better by far than making a mistake and actively ending a pregnancy which might otherwise survive. The BMJ’s editorial comment, below, reflects on that difficult balance.
[Click on the image to enlarge it.]
