If there is anything that you still do not understand after reading this page, please ask a nurse or doctor to explain and they will be happy to talk to you in private. Remember, everything you tell us is confidential. Information you give us would only be shared if we thought that either you or another person might not be safe.
Before your operation the anaesthetist will give you medication to send you to sleep. This is called a general anaesthetic. An anaesthetist is a doctor who specialises in anaesthetics and they will make sure you stay asleep for the whole operation.
A general anaesthetic could harm an unborn baby and this is especially true at the beginning of a pregnancy when people might not even realise that they are pregnant.
We know that many teenage girls may not be having sex and therefore it is not possible for them to be pregnant. However, as we don’t know who is and who isn’t in a sexually active relationship, we need to test all girls aged over 12 years to be on the safe side.
If you refuse to be tested the anaesthetist and surgeon will be told and your operation might be cancelled.
On the day of your operation, if you are 12 years or older the nurse looking after you will ask you for a sample of your urine so that we can test it in private straight away.
This depends on the result.
If you would like to tell your parents or carers we can help you. If we need to tell your parents or carers we will explain to you why this is needed before we talk to them. For example, if you are under 16 years old we will need to contact services local to where you live to help and support you. This may include your GP, school nurse or social services (a service that can make sure you are safe and looked after). We will always talk to you about this before we contact them.
This was introduced following advice from national healthcare organisations including the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) and the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RPCPH) to make surgical care safer.