Ireland will have to wait until at least 2019 for full access to foetal anomaly scans

It will be at least 2019 before women in Ireland have full access to foetal anomaly scans.

However, the HSE says it's dependent on funding and staffing.

It comes as there's been a sharp rise in the number of women aged 40 and over giving birth, with figures growing by over 62% between 2005 and 2015.

Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at Cork University Maternity Hospital Louise Kenny says 2019 is already too late.

“23,000 women in Ireland did not get an anatomy scan last year,” said Kenny.

“Unequivocally, cases of foetal abnormality were missed, and in some cases the misdiagnosis presented a lost opportunity to intervene early in that child’s life.”