Pregnancy

At The Healthcentrre Longwood, we aim to provide you with the most complete, professional, and compassionate care throughout your pregnancy. We see antenatal care as a cornerstone of our practice, and we are keen to share our experience and expertise with you every step of the way!

All our GPs are proficient in antenatal care and our practice nurses are there to help us deliver the highest quality care to you on your journey to bring life into the world.

Antenatal Care in Ireland

While the exact routine for antenatal care varies slightly from hospital to hospital in Ireland, the role of the GP remains the same all over the country. Every woman in Ireland with a PPS Number is entitled to free, shared antenatal care between their chosen GP and their chosen hospital. This is called the Mother and Infant Scheme (HSE Maternity Care).

This applies to public hospitals that provide obstetric care only. Some patients may choose to see an obstetrician privately, and this can be arranged on your consultation with our doctors.

The 'Booking Visit'

If you have a positive home pregnancy test, then we would encourage you to book in for your first routine antenatal visit. This is called the booking visit. We will

  • confirm the pregnancy and weeks of gestation
  • calculate your due date
  • discuss underlying health issues
  • discuss healthy lifestyles in pregnancy
  • discuss vaccines in pregnancy (please link to relevant section on our website)
  • discuss breast feeding

Initial Hospital Visits

  • dating ultrasound scan at 12 weeks
  • first obstetrician visit at 16 weeks
  • anomaly ultrasound scan (‘the big scan’) at 20 weeks

Schedule of Visits

Week of Pregnancy

GP Visit

Hospital Visit

Before 12 weeks

(as soon as pregnancy is confirmed)

X

 

12 weeks – scan

(Dating Scan)

 

X

16 weeks

 

X

20 weeks – scan

(Anomaly Scan)

  

24 weeks

X

 

28 weeks

X

(second and subsequent pregnancies)

X

(first pregnancy)

30 weeks

X

 

32 weeks

 

X

34 weeks

X

 

36 weeks

 

X

37 weeks

X

 

38 weeks

 

X

39 weeks

 

X

40 (and subsequent) weeks

 

X

Postnatal Visits

  

2 weeks (baby check)

X

 

6 weeks (mother and baby check)

X