Experiences of vaginal access procedures - TIGER UK survey: Report 1

Summary

TIGER UK is a not-for-profit community interest company (CIC) set up to help improve experiences of gynaecological care and procedures. It stands for Together Improving Gynaecology Experiences and Research.

This report shares the first findings from TIGER UK’s community survey on experiences of vaginal access procedures. More than 700 people responded, providing valuable lived experience insight.

Key findings

Pain and support

• 59% of respondents had experienced severe pain (7/10 or above) during a vaginal access procedure.

• Experiences of severe pain were reported for all but one of the 21 procedures listed.

• Prevalence of severe pain was highest in hysteroscopy, endometrial biopsy and IUD insertion.

• Nearly half (47%) of those who experienced severe pain said they did not feel appropriately supported by healthcare staff.

Preparation and consent

• 44% of respondents who had experienced severe pain said staff had explained beforehand that they might experience pain, while more than a third (35%) said they had not been prewarned.

• Among those who had experienced severe pain and had been warned about the possibility of pain, 62% said the description they received did not reflect the intensity of the pain they actually experienced.

• Half of the respondents (50%) said that something unexpected had happened during a vaginal access procedure.

• 44% said they had always felt able to stop a procedure at any point, while more than a third (36%) said they had not.

Emotional impact, adjustments, and future engagement

• Most respondents (71%) said they feel differently before a vaginal access procedure than they do before other healthcare appointments with a further 16% saying this is sometimes the case. The most frequently reported feelings were anxiety, nervousness and embarrassment.

• 19% said they either did need additional support, adjustments or considerations to be able to attend (12%), or sometimes did (7%). Of those respondents, around a third (34%) reported that their needs were either never or rarely met.

• More than a third (35%) said previous experiences of vaginal access procedures had made them less likely to attend future appointments

This work aims to provide a clearer, community-informed picture of experiences of vaginal access procedures to help contribute to service improvement and advocacy.

Download the full report via the link below.