24% of maternity patients now opt for midwife-led care

All Irish maternity units can provide antenatal midwifery clinics, with 174 clinics held every week. Clinics are also offered outside of hospitals by 17 units, coming to 59 altogether, giving women the option of getting some appointments locally. 

Midwives now lead pregnancy care for 24% of women, an assessment of progress around this type of care by the HSE has found.

The assessment of midwife-led ‘supported care pathways’ by the National Women and Infants Health Programme (NWIHP) found that, since May 2021, this has been offered as an option in all 19 maternity units. In 2016 midwife-led care was available in just six maternity units.