P.E.I. woman who used abortion drug unhappy with ER care
After using prescribed medication to terminate her pregnancy, a P.E.I. woman says she believes she was denied basic information on her pregnancy and potential follow-up care because an emergency room doctor disagreed with her decision to induce a miscarriage.
The woman says the prescribed medication wasn't working the way her doctor said it would, so she called Telehealth 811 and was advised to go to emergency.
She says, after waiting five hours to be seen, the attending physician suggested she go to the abortion clinic in Halifax.
"The doctor came in, looked at my chart, and basically said that there was nothing he could do," said the woman.
"I don't know what's going on inside of me, just wanted some sort of answers so I left the hospital crying."
She says she's since been to see another doctor.
'Treat the patient as they present'
That physician did some tests and prescribed a second dose of Misoprostol, a drug commonly prescribed to induce abortions, she says.
The P.E.I. Abortion Rights Network says they've heard similar stories before.
"It highlights the dire need for safe abortion services," said Colleen MacQuarrie, spokeswoman.
The group is calling on the provincial government to establish a protocol and policies for medication-based abortions and establish clinic days for women seeking abortion care.
The QEH won't comment on individual cases but says their policy is to not refuse service to anyone under any circumstances.
"You have to treat the patient as they present, how they got to that point, what has happened up to that stage, that doesn't influence what their care is afterwards," said Dr. Tom Dorran, QEH medical director.
The woman says she hopes that sharing her story will help Island women receive better access to reproductive health care and to ensure others don't have the same experience she did.