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The management of first trimester miscarriage by general practitioners in Ireland

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Abstract

A single shot questionnaire was sent to 500 general practitioners, with 39 per cent valid response, to audit first trimester miscarriage management. With threatened miscarriage 60 per cent were cared for at home (10 per cent of these had ultrasound) and 40 per cent were transferred to hospital. The miscarriage rate was 14 per cent – 61.7 per cent had no symptoms (of these 42.2 per cent had a positive pregnancy test), 24.4 per cent had threatened miscarriage with 11.6 per cent incomplete and 2.3 per cent complete. The general practitioner is ideally placed to develop initial clinical management strategies and direct access to ultrasound would be helpful.

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Prendiville, W., O’Kelly, F., Allwright, S. et al. The management of first trimester miscarriage by general practitioners in Ireland. I.J.M.S. 166, 3–6 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02939765

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