A new awareness campaign has been launched by the Yasmine McClory Foundation to ensure that pregnancy is considered as a possible cause of illness in patients presenting with relevant symptoms. The campaign aims to encourage both GPs and patients to recognise the importance of timely pregnancy testing to prevent potentially fatal complications.
The initiative is inspired by the tragic loss of Yasmine McClory, whose undiagnosed pregnancy led to fatal complications. Despite visiting her GP multiple times with concerning symptoms, a pregnancy test was never considered. Had a simple test been performed, healthcare professionals would have been aware of her heightened risk of blood clots, and her life might have been saved.
“A simple pregnancy test can be the difference between life and death,” said Jess McClory, Yasmine’s older sister and Director of the Yasmine McClory Foundation. “A quick and easy pregnancy test would have saved her life”
To help prevent similar cases, the campaign has developed an informative poster designed for GP surgeries. Created in collaboration with Dr Katie Moloney, the poster outlines key symptoms that may indicate pregnancy and serves as a prompt for both patients and healthcare providers to consider pregnancy testing when appropriate.
GP practices across the county are being urged to display the poster in waiting rooms and consultation areas, ensuring both medical professionals and patients remain aware of pregnancy as a possible factor in diagnosing illness.
Practices can request copies of the poster on the foundation’s website: www.yasminemccloryfoundation.org.uk/our-work/health-medical-research/pregnancy-testing.