Patient Leaflets - EPU

Bleeding and abdominal pain in early pregnancy

Vaginal bleeding and or pain in early pregnancy are common and don’t always mean there is a problem. However, it may be a warning sign of a miscarriage or other early pregnancy problems ... read more

Conservative Management of Miscarriage

We are very sorry that your pregnancy is no longer progressing. We understand this may be a very distressing time for you. Sadly, miscarriages are known to occur in 1 in 4 pregnancies. In early pregnancy, the most common reason for a miscarriage is a genetic abnormality within the baby and so is out of your control.

We hope that this leaflet will help you in your decision for treatment. It is intended to give you additional information to that received from the doctors and nurses in the hospital ... read more

Early Pregnancy Unit

Your doctor has requested that you attend this Assessment Unit because a problem has arisen during the early stages (first 12 weeks) of your pregnancy.

This is an emergency service for women referred by their GP, midwife, A& E or healthcare professionals with pain and /or vaginal bleeding in early pregnancy.

The aims of the unit are to offer help and assistance with the pregnancy related problem you are experiencing ... read more

Ectopic Pregnancy

An ectopic pregnancy is a pregnancy that develops outside the lining (endometrium) of the womb (uterus). Most ectopic pregnancies occur in the fallopian tube ... read more

How to recover quickly from a laparoscopy

A laparoscopy (also known as keyhole surgery) is performed under a general anaesthetic. 3-4 small cuts (half to one centimetre in length) are made in the abdomen which allows your surgeon to insert a small telescope so that they can see inside your abdomen and your reproductive organs directly. Your abdomen will be filled with gas to allow us some space to gain a clear picture and if necessary, to treat any problems as agreed with you before your operation. Before you agree to surgery and sign your consent form, your surgeon will discuss what is planned (This is called an informed consent) ... read more

Manual Vacuum Aspiration for Miscarriage (MVA)

This leaflet is intended to give you additional information to that received from a healthcare professional. It aims to answer your questions about manual vacuum aspiration, the benefits, risks, alternative treatment options, as well as what you can expect when you come to our hospital for your procedure ... read more

Outpatient Medical Management of Miscarriage

We are sorry that your scan has shown that your pregnancy has ended and a diagnosis of a miscarriage has been made. Sadly, about one in four women lose their baby in early pregnancy. It may be that you have had very few or no symptoms at all, such as bleeding or pain, but this is not unusual in some types of miscarriage and you will have been given verbal information on how this treatment works and what to expect. This written information is for you to take home, please keep it somewhere safe, as you may want to look at it over the next few weeks ... read more

Pregnancy of Unknown Location (PoUL)

A pregnancy of unknown location means that you are pregnant but your pregnancy cannot be seen on a transvaginal ultrasound scan ... read more

Surgical Management of Miscarriage

Surgical management of miscarriage (SMM) is the medical term for removing any parts of your pregnancy that may remain in your womb following a miscarriage. This may include a small fetus, the pregnancy sac, placenta or tissue mixed with blood clots. This involves being admitted to the hospital, usually the Day Surgery Unit, for part of the day. In the past, it has also been known as an ERPC ... read more

Treating Ectopic Pregnancy with Methotrexate

Ectopic pregnancy can be a distressing and frightening experience. This leaflet aims to explain how ectopic pregnancy can be treated with a drug called methotrexate. An ectopic pregnancy is one that develops outside of the womb and can pose significant risk to the mother’s life if it continues to grow. Between 1-2 in 100 pregnancies in the UK are ectopic. Please see the ectopic pregnancy leaflet for more information about ectopic pregnancy, causes and other treatment options ... read more