Ending a pregnancy

Record the outcome of a pregnancy in Communicare.

Your administrator can add to and remove items from the list of ICPC-2 PLUS coded possible outcomes.
To end a pregnancy:
  1. In the patient's clinical record, select Summary > Obstetrics > Current Pregnancy tab.
  2. Click End Pregnancy and select the outcome from the list. For example, Delivery;normal vag;liveborn.
  3. Check that you have the correct pregnancy in the Pregnancy Number field.
  4. Complete the other fields as required.
  5. Click Save.
All pregnancy outcomes are listed on the Summary > Obstetrics > Obstetric History tab, in the Previous Obstetric History table.
If you want to edit a pregnancy outcome later, for example, to add the baby's name and sex, double-click it in the Previous Obstetric History table.

Recording Multiple Births

To record that a patient has given birth to more than one baby, add an end of pregnancy item for each baby born, appropriate to their outcome with each baby's details on a separate item. Each outcome should have the same pregnancy number.

Important: If your patient has a multiple pregnancy and miscarries one or more of the babies but the pregnancy has at least one viable foetus and continues, do not record an end of pregnancy item until the woman has delivered. Entering the miscarriage at the time it occurs will end the pregnancy on Communicare, which cancels future antenatal recalls, and so on. Instead, make a note in progress notes or add a comment to the last antenatal check, then when she has delivered, add in the appropriate items.

For example, a woman has a confirmed pregnancy and is carrying twins. One miscarries at 11/40, the other pregnancy is carried to term and is a normal vaginal delivery. Make a note of the miscarriage, then when she delivers, add in two separate end of pregnancy items: Miscarriage and Delivery;normal vag;liveborn.