Lower risks for private patients

MOTHERS who opt for private maternity care are more likely to have epidurals, caesarean sections and longer stays in hospital than those who go public.

The same mums also tend to receive more ultrasound scans throughout their pregnancy and have a lesser chance of emergency interventions during delivery.

However, mothers in private healthcare don’t get the undivided attention of their consultant — only 52% told the Irish Examiner/Lansdowne Market Research maternity survey that their consultant was present during labour and birth, 20% had their consultant present for birth only, 11% had them attend on occasions during labour, while 4% didn’t see their consultant at all. In 1% of cases, the consultant only arrived after the birth, while in 9% another consultant was deputised to attend.