Niamh is 19 and just left home to study engineering at University. She is the 1st person in her family to attend Higher Education. Her mum was her single parent and is immensely proud that she has supported Niamh alone and neither has any contact with her father. At the end of fresher’s week Niamh signed up to a cycling club and there were drinks and some food available and Niamh and a 3rd year student Neil left the party together then went on to a club. Niamh and Neil started a sexual relationship a few days later. Niamh had never taken the Pill and had meant to contact a GP once she had moved to University to access this but she hoped that Neil would use barrier methods of contraception and this method would be an effective means of contraception. Exams and job interviews loomed for Neil and once Niamh found out she was pregnant Neil had already moved out of his accommodation returning home and only returning for exams and was avoiding her calls and texts. By the time she realised she was pregnant and then by the time she arranged to meet her midwife she was already 14 weeks pregnant. She thought about a termination of pregnancy and even asked at the hospital but then decided against the idea.
- Where could Niamh have found help with her decisions about the choices available to her if she had not felt ready to keep her baby?
- What rights and benefits may Niamh be entitled to at present and if she has to give up course?
- Using a PISCES model think of one thing that may affect each of the following in relation to Niamh’s wellbeing:
PHYSICAL
INTELLECTUAL
SOCIAL
CULTURAL
EMOTIONAL
SPIRITUAL
- Using the latest NICE Guidelines identify what are the key things the midwife needs to ask when Niamh “books” with you as her community midwife
- What are some of the issues when a woman “books” when she does not know much about the father’s medical history as in this case?
- What other multi-disciplinary agencies could the community midwife encourage Niamh to contact for support once she has her baby?