Survey involved Irish and non-nationals
The sample included mothers who’d experienced a hospital delivery and excluded those who’d opted for home births.
Just over half of the mothers questioned (54%) were first timers.
The majority of mothers, 83%, were married or living with their partners, while 15% were single and 2% were divorced or separated.
The mothers were split by regions: 29% from Dublin, 27% from the rest of Leinster, 24% from Munster and 20% from Connaught/Ulster.
The majority of mothers (62%) had used public maternity care, 19% had used semi-private care and a further 19% had used private.
Just over half of the mothers questioned (55%) were between 25 and 34 years of age, a fifth were aged 15-24 and a quarter 35-49.
Of the sample mothers, 11% were high earners or professionals, 3% were farmers and the remainder were skilled, working class or unemployed.
A third of the mothers surveyed gave birth in Dublin: 11% had attended the Coombe Women’s Hospital, 11% the Rotunda and 10% the National Maternity Hospital. Of other mothers, 7% gave birth at St Munchins in Limerick, 5% at Bon Secours Hospital in Cork and 5% at University College Hospital in Galway.
Of the 100 non-national mothers who took part in the survey, 27% were from South Africa, with 4% from other African nations.
19% were from Eastern Europe, with 11% from other countries on the continent. Closer to home 13% of the mothers were from Britain, while 8% were from India, Pakistan or Bangladesh.
Interviews were conducted last month by Lansdowne Market Research.
