These handouts support healthcare providers communicate to patients what services are offered at their facility. They were developed with Indigenous patients in mind, but can be used for all patients. These handouts support providers to neutrally communicate the policies and procedures that patients must follow in order to take the pregnancy remains, or products of conception (POC), home after an abortion (or spontaneous pregnancy loss if applicable).
Patient Handouts
If your facility does not allow patients to take the POC home, the first page of this handout can still be used to communicate general support services your facility offers. For example, these services could include counselling, referrals, support lines, an Indigenous liaison, contraception, or smudging in facility.
For more information on how your facility could integrate smudging and releasing the pregnancy remains, see this guidebook.
how we developed the example handouts
Our original handouts were collaboratively developed, with the help of clinician R.R., to be used in a BC hospital-based setting. As such, the two handouts reflect BC laws, which regulate the handling and disposal of pregnancy tissue differently before and after 20 weeks + 0 days gestation. In light of these laws, one handout is applicable for patients experiencing both abortion and pregnancy loss under 20 weeks of the gestation period: while the other handout is applicable for patients experiencing both abortion and stillbirth from 20 weeks of gestation and over. These original handouts act as an example to help guide providers who edit the template handouts to apply to their facility–see below.
how to use the template handouts
While the example handouts only showcase one circumstance–a BC hospital-based setting–the template handouts offer an opportunity for providers to create a handout that will apply to their facility. We were intentional with our language choices on the example handouts and encourage you to borrow this language, where appropriate, when filling in the template. In the section below, we have included a text-only version of the example handout for easy copy and pasting.
Once the handouts are complete with facility policies and services, they may be laminated, for cleaning purposes, and given to patients for review at the earliest point of contact. This will empower patients to make informed decisions, access care without pressure, connect to services, and build open dialogue with providers.
allows POC to be released
Applicable for circumstances where patients are allowed to take the POC home (such as abortion or spontaneous pregnancy loss under 20 weeks gestation). It includes a cover page listing general support services as well.
doesn’t allow POC to be released
Applicable for circumstances where patients are legally not allowed to take the POC home (such as abortion or stillbirth 20 weeks gestation and over). This handout details what formal options are available under this legal restriction. It includes a cover page listing general support services as well.
only support services
Applicable for facilities that do not allow patients to take the POC home under any circumstance. This handout can be used to communicate general services offered to patients such as counselling, referrals, or contraception.
Originally, this handout was developed as a cover page for the facility policy and procedures for releasing the POC. It explains the significance of taking the POC home for Indigenous peoples and attempts to answer frequently asked questions.
The intention behind this handout is to answer the “why?” behind releasing the POC, to help providers understand this request better. We hope it helps providers feel more comfortable and confident when offering this service to patients.
Provider Handout
Purpose
Why we made this
Our research has shown us how fast-paced healthcare settings often don’t leave providers time to tell their patients about available support services. We also learned that it can be difficult for providers to offer services without knowing whether patients want these supports.
We understand that healthcare providers want to handle these delicate conversations better, but don’t always know where to start. While these handouts are not a solution, we hope they help providers engage in such conversations with sensitivity and humility.