Ex-deputy mayor opens up on 'appalling' Wagga Base miscarriage treatment
Wagga City Councilor Amelia Parkins. Picture by Bernard Humphreys
Wagga's former deputy mayor has opened up about her "miserable" experience at Wagga Base Hospital in the hopes other women experiencing pregnancy loss won't feel alone.
Councillor Amelia Parkins shared her story in hopes that other women in the region can receive improved treatment when accessing miscarriage and termination services.
She wants any woman who has experienced miscarriage to know they're not alone.
Cr Parkins said it was a topic close to her heart after she experienced first-hand how poorly the system handles miscarriage locally.
The Murrumbidgee Local Health District has since apologised for any distress they caused Cr Parkins during that time.
Undergoing IVF treatments with her partner in the hope of having a second child together, Cr Parkins was informed in late 2023 that her baby had no heartbeat.
"I had a miscarriage and the treatment at Wagga Base Hospital was absolutely appalling," Cr Parkins said.
"You have the ultrasound, it shows no heartbeat, and then you just have to wait for the miscarriage to happen.
"So I went through my gynecologist and asked for a D and C (dilation and curettage) because it was just before Christmas, I wanted it over and done with, I didn't want to ruin Christmas for my family."
The days between her ultrasound and GP appointment felt never-ending, with her appointment at Wagga Base Hospital cancelled and pushed back several days. Without attending a GP appointment Cr Parkins was unable to take control of the situation.
Not wanting to spontaneously miscarry, Cr Parkins was ready to fight to access surgical assistance to remove the fetus from her body.
When she finally met with a GP she was presented with three options - spontaneous, medical, or surgical miscarriage.
She informed the GP she strongly wanted surgical intervention and understood the risks that came with it.
"I was terrified that this miscarriage would happen while I was waiting, and I just did not want to experience it," Cr Parkins said.
"I went in and saw the GP, and he said to me I wasn't emotional enough for him to fight for me to go on the surgery list.
"He said he thinks that I should just take these drugs and go home, and that will make it happen spontaneously, and then it'll be over and done with before Christmas - which is what I was asking for.
"I was like, 'no, no, I don't want to experience anything. I've already given birth to one child, I don't want to give birth to a dead child', and then I got really upset.
"Then he said I was too emotional to get the drugs he thought that I should have."
The medication prescribed to Cr Parkins - Mifepristone and Misoprostol - is a medical termination drug used both as abortion care and to cause miscarriage for women whose pregnancies are not viable.
MS-2 Step is the combination of medications used to medically induce miscarriage. It is also used as abortion care. Picture file
Taking the medication can leave women bleeding for several days. It was an experience Cr Parkins did not want.
She called clinics across the country, desperate to not experience the miscarriage. She never took the pills she was prescribed.
"I remember saying to the poor IVF nurse, 'I just want this taken out of me'," Cr Parkins said.
"'If a vet at The Rock is happy to do it, I am happy to do that. I will go to Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Canberra.
"'I don't care where I go, I just want it done'."
The day after the GP appointment, Cr Parkins began to spontaneously miscarry. She presented to ED and was eventually sent home with instructions to book an ultrasound as soon as possible.
Working with ED staff at the time, Cr Parkins said the care she received from them as individuals was outstanding in the circumstances.
It took six days to access an ultrasound appointment, at which time she was told the scan still showed a retained product of conception.
Again she was prescribed medications to induce another miscarriage. She'd already experienced one she did not want to, and now she was being told she needed to do it again.
On December 28, under the advice of her IVF specialist, Cr Parkins was finally granted the surgical intervention she had pushed for since December 19.
Cr Amelia Parkins hopes by sharing her story, more women will feel comfortable to advocate for themselves. Picture by Bernard Humphreys
Sent home from those appointments with no further support, Cr Parkins questioned what her experience would have been like had she not been able to continually advocate for herself.
Cr Parkins' story is devastating, and one that she is concerned is not unique.
She fears that people are not accessing the healthcare they need and deserve in a timely manner due to limited availability in Wagga.
Acknowledging there have been positive improvements to women's health accessibility in the city since she arrived in Wagga nine years ago, Cr Parkins said more still needs to be done.
Cr Amelia Parkins hopes by sharing her story, more women will feel comfortable to advocate for themselves. Picture by Bernard Humphreys
Sitting down with the MLHD and Wagga Base Hospital staff in the months after her experience, Cr Parkins said she felt heard by the staff at the time.
"I'm old and strong, I can advocate for myself but what about victims of domestic violence, or rape, or unplanned pregnancies, they're left completely alone," Cr Parkins said.
"I want to do everything I can to make sure that young women and middle-aged women have as much support as they can, we shouldn't have to suffer in silence."
Amelia Parkins has shared her story experiencing poor care of a miscarriage at Wagga Base Hospital in 2023. Picture file
MLHD issued an apology to Ms Parkins for her experiences under its care.
"Murrumbidgee Local Health District (MLHD) is deeply apologetic for the distress suffered by Ms Parkins as a result of her experience of care at Wagga Wagga Base Hospital (WWBH)," a spokesperson said.
"Staff of WWBH have met with Ms Parkins to discuss her care and appreciate the feedback she has provided.
"MLHD takes all complaints seriously and welcomes the opportunity to use feedback to improve the care we provide to our community. Complaints are thoroughly investigated, and feedback is provided to the complainant and the clinicians involved."
Time is right to speak out
Cr Parkins decided to share her story after being disappointed the Wagga City Council mayor and general manager were unable to provide examples of council advocacy for women's health in the last 12 months during the council meeting held on February 10.
Noting the advocacy would be to higher government, she believes local councils have the position to speak to ministers and departments to be genuine voices for their communities.
Can the Mayor and General Manager provide an update on what advocacy in the last 6 12 months on each of the 16 items listed in the advocacy. In particular, more recently there has been a lot of conversations about abortion services and that is at the top of our Advocacy plan. It would be interesting to know what has been done on behalf of Council.
- Councillor Amelia Parkins question to council on February 10
"I was hoping to just get an overview of what actions Council has taken in the last six to 12 months to address any of those advocacy items because I'm concerned that councils not advocating as well as it should be," Cr Parkins said.
"I was disappointed that they couldn't give me an answer in two weeks, that they essentially need an entire month when it really should just be we did this and this, these are the things that we've been active on, and these are the things that we still need to do work on."
The advocacy plan was adopted in 2023 and features 16 areas the council would "like to make a reality" including increased access to medical and surgical abortions within the council area.
Wagga City Council declined to provide comment on why the question could not be responded to immediately or what advocacy has occurred in the past 12 months.
Cr Parkins's concerns extend into women's health care in its entirety.
Travelling to Albury for endometriosis care, suffering poor treatment during her miscarriage, leaving the city to access IVF treatments, Cr Parkins does not want women's pain to be silent or ignored any longer.
One in three Australian women experience birth trauma, but the vast majority who display symptoms go undiagnosed.
"A lot of these things are still fairly taboo to speak about, there's a lot of people suffering in silence, and that's where I really want Council to show some leadership and get out there and advocate for these people," she said.
"It's not even minority groups, there's more women than men on Earth at the moment.
"We've just put our draft community strategic plan out and one part of the key vision statement is 'regional leader' so, I guess that's where I was coming from in terms of the advocacy question, I want to know how are we being leaders?"
The council's general manager has provided a response to Cr Parkins' question in the business papers of the council meeting scheduled for February 24.
Support is available for those who may be distressed.
Phone Lifeline 13 11 14
Kids Helpline 1800 551 800
beyondblue 1300 224 636
1800-RESPECT 1800 737 732
SANDS miscarriage, stillbirth and newborn death support 1300 308 307