Surgical management of a loss of pregnancy in the first trimester:
Patient experience and influencing factors, a prospective observational
study
Abstract
Objective: Describe the “patient experience” regarding care provided
during the surgical management of a loss of pregnancy in the first
trimester and identify the factors influencing this experience. Design:
Analytical observational prospective study. Setting: Two main, academic,
maternity wards in Lyon, France, carrying out 8,500 deliveries per year.
Population: Adult female patients, speaking French, having undergone a
curettage for a loss of pregnancy in the first trimester from 24
December 2020 to 13 June 2021. Methods: The “patient experience” was
assessed using the 15 questions of the Picker Patient Experience
(PPE-15) questionnaire, and research was conducted on factors
influencing the patient experience. Main outcome measures: Percentage of
patients reporting a problem in response to at least one of the PPE-15
questions. Results: 58 out of 79 patients (73% CI [62-83]) reported
at least one problem with their care. The largest proportion of problems
was raised in question about “Opportunity for family/loved ones to talk
to the doctor” (76% CI [61-87]). The lowest proportion of problems
was raised in question about “Treated with respect and dignity” (8%
CI [3-16]). No factors influencing the patient experience were
identified. Conclusions: The main areas of improvement reported by
patients identified were the participation of their family/relatives and
the emotional support provided by the healthcare workers team. Funding:
None. Keywords: Patient experience, loss of pregnancy, Picker Patient
Experience, suction curettage. Tweetable abstract: Better communication
with patient families and emotional support could improve patient
experience during the surgical management of a loss of pregnancy