Maternity hospitals warn over late arrivals

THE number of expectant non-national mothers presenting to one of Dublin’s three maternity hospitals in the very late stages of pregnancy has increased since last year’s citizenship referendum.

Coombe Women’s Hospital revealed yesterday that in the first six months of this year, 24 non-Irish women presented in the final seven days, a rise of four on the same period in 2004.

However, a second hospital said the number arriving at a late dangerously late stage has dropped to “almost zero” this year.