Information for the Support Person
PLEASE PHONE 1 HOUR AFTER ARRIVAL ON 9605 2247 TO BE GIVEN AN APPROXIMATE PICK UP TIME
Thank you for supporting our patient.
During your visit here, there will be areas where you will be unable to accompany your partner, friend or relative.
The privacy of our other patients must be respected.
After the termination most women are a little sleepy and may have mild cramps. Bleeding should not be heavy. It’s best to take the patient home, let them relax and perhaps sleep.
They can eat or drink anything they feel like, however, eating a large amount at once could cause vomiting. No alcohol or recreational drugs should be taken.
Patients shouldn’t drive for 12 hours after the operation and even cooking, boiling water, chopping with knives could be a problem because patients are sleepy after the anaesthetic, with poor reflexes.
Cooking dinner or getting take away, taking care of children (or getting a friend or relative to mind them) can help the patient to relax and recover from the operation.
It is rare to have complications after a termination. Each patient is given a post-operative leaflet which explains the normal physical symptoms and possible problems to look out for.
We have a 24 hour phone number if there are any concerns (9605 2247).
There are some important precautions a woman should take after a termination: take the antibiotics prescribed, no strenuous physical activity for 1 week and no sex, baths (showers are OK), swimming or tampons for 2 weeks. Sex can resume after 2 weeks but contraception should be used as this is a very fertile time.
After a termination women can experience a range of emotions — relief, gratitude, increased confidence, renewed energy, sadness, anger, guilt, regret and depression. A few days after the operation there can be a hormone drop and some women who may be feeling positive about their decision can get depressed and weepy. This passes in a few days.
The support person can help the patient psychologically by listening and supporting them in a nonjudgemental
way. Some women need time to grieve and to express their feelings of loss. Sometimes a girlfriend or relative can be a better “shoulder to cry on” than the father of the pregnancy as he may also be feeling guilty and depressed and trying to deal with his own feelings. There are some serious but rare psychological problems to look out for: suicidal behaviour, eating and sleeping disturbances, uncontrollable crying and withdrawal.
Contact the clinic or her local doctor if you are worried about the patient.
A termination of pregnancy can also be an emotional time for a patient’s support person. This can be especially so for the father of the pregnancy. He can feel regret, loss, anger, depression, guilt etc. The decision to have a termination can bring a couple closer together or can bring up areas of conflict and reassessment of the relationship.
On the day of the termination, Macquarie Fields Clinic will concentrate on the wellbeing, both physical and psychological, of the patient. However, the support person &/or father of the pregnancy is welcome to book in for a counselling session on another day.
A list of other resources for counselling:
Your own local GP
Community Health Centres (in your area)
Traxside Ph: 1300 669 663 (Campbelltown)
Relationships Australia Ph: 4228 7711 (Illawarra)
LifeCare Counselling & Family Services Centres Ph: 1300 130 225
Bigge Park Centre Ph: 9827 8022 (Liverpool)
macquarie field's womens clinic ©
5 may 2010