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A TikTok user who went viral with a video of herself removing her implanted birth control device has prompted calls among sexual health experts for better monitoring of social media platforms. In a video which has gained over 178,000 likes, TikTok user Mikkie Gallagher is filmed performing a ‘DIY IUD removal’ wearing medical gloves, writing on top of the post: “A lot easier than I thought TBH,” and “Catch of the day: Mirena IUD, 2 inches”. An intrauterine device (IUD) is inserted into the uterus to prevent pregnancy and sometimes assist in relieving period pain. They usually need to be taken out every five to 10 years depending on the type. Women can choose when to have them removed. Family Planning Victoria CEO, Claire Vissenga, said she found it very concerning that “DIY could pass as healthcare or professional assistance”. “... it’s just a ridiculous thing to do. Removing an IUD potentially does physical damage, and could complicate contraception,” says Vissenga Family Planning medical director, Kathleen McNamee, said 80% of DIY IUD removals failed, leading to GP or emergency visits. “If the person dislodges the IUD in a failed attempt, it could no longer be effective as a contraceptive method and result in an unwanted pregnancy,” she said. Read full story Source: The Guardian, 24 September 2021

A woman with stage 4 endometriosis said she was told she needed to "be more positive" before her diagnosis - despite heavy blood loss and pain. Anna Cooper, from Newbridge, Wrexham, started her periods at 11 and by the time she turned 14, her mother was pushing for a referral. Since then she has had 13 surgeries, with a 14th due in the coming months. She said: "It is not taken seriously enough. It seems to be that we are just not being heard at the minute." Watch video Source: BBC News, 9 September 2021

Women deserve better, say campaigners Women have voiced their frustration that a year since Baroness Cumberlege published her scathing First Do No Harm report the only thing the Government has achieved is a half-hearted apology from Matt Hancock. Politicians from all parties are meeting to call for action in a debate in Parliament on the one-year anniversary since the Cumberlege report was published https://firstdonoharmappg.org.uk/category/news/ The back-bench debate is on Thursday July, 8, and is being led by MP Emma Hardy and Shadow Health Minister Alex Norris. Emma Hardy, MP, chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) into mesh, said: “Women deserve better than the Government’s refusal to implement the Baroness Cumberlege recommendations. The recommendations will not only make life better for those living with mesh complications, they will also improve patient safety for everyone in the future.” The First Do No Harm report looked at the dismissive attitude towards women harmed by mesh implants, and also women and their babies harmed by Primodos pregnancy testing drug and epilepsy drug Sodium Valproate. Primodos was discontinued in the 1970s. Sodium Valproate is still used today and there are fears women are still not being warned of the risks to their unborn baby if they take it during pregnancy. The debate is calling for all Cumberlege recommendations to be implemented without further delay, including financial redress for women and sweeping reform of the healthcare and regulation framework. It is also calling for a retrospective audit of mesh to work out the number of women suffering. The Cumberlege report suggests contacting all women who had mesh in the year 2010 to see how they are in 2021. Kath Sansom, founder of campaign group Sling The Mesh, which has 9,000 members, said: “Mesh for stress incontinence was suspended in 2018 and we believe it should not be brought back until the audit is carried out until we know the true scale of complications. Scottish Government have pledged to never bring it back. Sadly, surgeons in England are pushing for it to be used again.” Included in the recommendations is a call for industry to declare all monies and gifts to doctors, teaching hospitals and research institutions. Kath said: “In post pandemic times it is more important than ever to know who is funding our research and prescribing decisions. In America there is a Sunshine Payment Act, forcing healthcare giants, who make billions in profits, to declare all the money and non-financial gifts they hand out. It has been proved such funding leads to bias in prescribing and bias in the scientific research. We need this legislation for the UK. That way campaigners and patients can see who is funding a doctor’s voice.” Meantime, in Northern Ireland and Wales, mesh injured women have been left virtually high and dry and will be looking to the debate for hope. Susan McLarnon of Sling The Mesh Northern Ireland, said: “Mesh services are next to non-existent. No formal announcement has been made since the new centres opened on 1st April. Patients who are lucky enough to get a gynaecology appointment are still being told mesh isn’t the issue. They are still in denial. Women have been left in limbo. Suffering horrendous pain with nowhere to turn. Some are being told to complain to their MP yet nobody is listening to us.” Karen Preater, of Mesh Awareness Wales, added: “Other than when the Cumberlege report came out, there has been no statements or correspondence, I have emailed several times asking about a Patient Safety Commissioner and have had no responses. South Wales have their centre. North Wales are told to use Manchester. Total silence from the Welsh Government.” The Parliamentary debate will look at the black hole in official statistics, which means nobody knows how many women have been harmed. Kath said: “We are deeply concerned about a significant discrepancy between NHS figures and surgeon data on mesh complications – we fear surgeons have downplayed complications by almost ten times. The truth is nobody knows the scale of this women’s health scandal and the only way to get to the bottom of it is a retrospective audit.” See the question to Parliament on discrepancy of the figures about the number of women suffering here: https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2021-03-04/163289 USEFUL LINKS BLOG by MP Emma Hardy: Mesh surgery is costing the NHS millions https://www.emmahardy.org.uk/2018/04/18/mesh-surgery-failure-is-costing-the-nhs-millions-of-pounds/

A call for action on the one-year anniversary since the Cumberlege report was published will be happening in Parliament today and is being led by MP Emma Hardy and Shadow Health Minister Alex Norris. Emma Hardy, chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (AAPG) has said “Women deserve better than the Government’s refusal to implement the Baroness Cumberlege recommendations. The recommendations will not only make life better for those living with mesh complications, they will also improve patient safety for everyone in the future.” Read full story. Source: Medical Plastics News, 07 July 2021

Baroness Julia Cumberlege has said she is angry and frustrated at the lack of progress being made after she led a critical review into how the health service treats female patients. During her review, she spent 2 years speaking to 700 women and their families who experienced complications linked to two drug treatments and a medical device. The four UK governments are still considering her recommendations and say they will respond fully later this year. Read full story. Source: BBC News, 08 July 2021