“I was listened to and given plenty of time to prepare and process.”
In this story, a client shares their experience having an abortion after finding out their baby had life-changing abnormalities.
After finding out our baby had severe and life changing abnormalities at 15 weeks, we made the very difficult decision to have a surgical termination.
Our hospital care team contacted the MSI Bristol clinic on our behalf.
From the moment of contact with them we received the most sensitive and empathetic care. Every single staff member treated us with kindness and compassion.
“We were presented with a memory box for our baby.”
The procedure was clearly explained to us, including the expected timeline of events and aftercare information.
In such a distressing situation, I felt supported and cared for. I was listened to and given plenty of time to prepare and process. My partner and I were given plenty of privacy to manage our grief and presented with a memory box for our baby.
“I will forever be grateful for their kindness.”
The nurses and aftercare team were incredibly supportive and respectful of my feelings whilst I was in recovery, asking if I needed drinks, snacks, someone to talk to or to be left alone.
Nothing was too much for them to accommodate. They updated my partner on my recovery and checked on him as he was very anxious, offering him the same support. I will forever be grateful for their kindness.
Even though this life event was unexpected and traumatic, I still know how lucky we are to have this service available to us, to have people who choose to do this job and have patient care as their top priority.
How to get in touch
We are here for you. If you, or someone you know, is affected by this topic, you can contact us on 0345 300 8090 to discuss your options.
Our teams will support you (and your partner) at every step of the treatment. Counselling is also available before, during, and after treatment.
To find out more about foetal anomaly care at MSI UK, visit this page.
There are several other resources that may be useful to you:
- The charity Tommy’s also offers information and support for those affected by baby loss.
- The charity Antenatal Results and Choices (ARC) offers information and support for people who have received a diagnosis after antenatal screening.
- The charity Stillbirth and neonatal death charity (Sands) has an online community, with a support chat and support line as well as online and in person support groups for those affected by baby loss.
Read more abortion stories
Sharing stories is at the heart of ending the stigma that too many people still feel when it comes to abortion.
