Public Care Options

Most women are entitled to free maternity care as a public patient based on residency in Ireland; non-EU Nationals must contact their local Health Office to determine their eligibility for free maternity care. Antenatal care is provided in the hospital’s Outpatient Clinic -  'Holles Outpatient Clinic'. You can book online to register with any of the Public Care Options below or alternatively, call the Central Booking Office: Monday to Friday: 08.30 -  15.30hrs. Tel: (01) 637 3288. You can also email cb@nmh.ie with any booking queries you may have. Only e-mails regarding pregnancy booking queries will be responded to.

If you choose public care, you will be seen by a Consultant Obstetrician, Registrar, Senior House Officer or Midwife for your antenatal visits at the clinic in the main Hospital or at one of the Satellite Clinics.

Visits will alternate with your GP under the combined care scheme and your GP will see you for your six week postnatal check-up unless you have been requested to attend the hospital. 

Approximate Timetable of Visits by Gestational Age 

Book your first appointment with your GP as soon as you know that you are pregnant.

12 weeks gestation: Booking visit in Holles Outpatient Clinic or Community Satellite Clinic

20 - 22 weeks gestation: Fetal Assessment/Ultrasound Department for Anomaly Ultrasound (Big) Scan

24 weeks gestation: GP

28 weeks gestation: Holles Outpatient Clinic or Community Satellite Clinic with routine bloods as required

30 weeks gestation: GP

32 weeks gestation: Holles Outpatient Clinic or Community Satellite Clinic

34 weeks gestation: GP

36 weeks gestation: Holles Outpatient Clinic or Community Satellite Clinic

37 weeks gestation: GP

38 weeks gestation: Holles Outpatient Clinic or Community Satellite Clinic

39 weeks gestation: GP

40 weeks gestation: Holles Outpatient Clinic or Community Satellite Clinic

41 weeks gestation: Holles Outpatient Clinic or Community Satellite Clinic

Term + 12 days: Fetal Assessment/Ultrasound Department

1. Consultant Led Clinic

If you wish to attend a Consultant led clinic an initial booking visit will be given to you when you book into the hospital. This first visit appointment is followed by regular appointments which are usually shared between your local GP and one of a team of hospital doctors - Consultant Obstetrician, Registrar or Senior House Officer.

A Consultant Obstetrician will have overall responsibility for your care, but you will not see that Consultant at every visit. If you are admitted to hospital during your pregnancy your care will be managed by the Consultant on duty for that day. When you arrive at the hospital for the birth of your baby you will be cared for by the labour ward midwives and a medical team (if necessary). If any problems arise the Consultant on-call will be involved. 

Day Consultant
Monday AM Dr Fiona Martyn
Tuesday AM Dr Zara Fonseca-Kelly
Tuesday PM Dr Laoise O'Brien
Wednesday AM Dr Michael Robson
Thursday AM Dr Cathy Allen
Thursday PM Dr Orla Sheil

2. Midwifery Led Clinic

Midwives have been offering Antenatal Clinics since the 1980s in the National Maternity Hospital. This Clinic is run in conjunction with a consultant-led clinic.

The Midwives Clinic is a popular choice with women as it provides an opportunity to avail of a personal service where women with low risk pregnancies are cared for by the same midwives for all their antenatal care. This is also a public care option and further information is available here.

3. Community Midwives

The Community Midwives offer a Domino/Homebirth service to provide continuity of care and choice to low risk women throughout their pregnancy, labour and following birth.
This is also a public care option and further information is available on their page. To avail of this service, you book with the Community Midwives directly and early in your pregnancy as spaces are limited.

4. Pearse Street Primary Care Centre

Pearse St Primary Care Centre is working in conjunction with the National Maternity Hospital, Holles St to provide the use of its clinic to assist in alleviating pressure within the hospital premises.

If you wish to have an appointment to attend the booking clinic in the Pearse Street Primary Care Centre as your first visit to the hospital, you must first contact the Central Booking Office to register your pregnancy.

These appointments are only for your initial booking visit appointment and are designed to facilitate pregnant women in the local community and surrounding area. This clinic is run by midwives who work at the National Maternity Hospital. 

Benefits of this clinic:

  1. Specific appointment times for women
  2. Allocated time for each appointment
  3. Local and accessible clinics.

Please be aware that you will only have your initial booking visit appointment in the Pearse Street Primary Care Centre and that all future follow-up appointments will be in the National Maternity Hospital.

Click here for a map and directions to the Pearse Street Primary Care Centre.

Outpatients Clinic Details
Monday – Friday: 08:00-16:00 hrs
Tel: (01) 637 3527 / (01) 637 3528
Email: clinics@nmh.ie

Living Outside Dublin?

If distance from the hospital is a problem for you, we provide some antenatal clinics (satellite clinics) in outlying areas. This is convenient for many women during the antenatal period who find traveling to the hospital difficult.

If you wish to attend one of our Satellite Clinics, you must first contact our Central Booking Office to register your pregnancy with the hospital. Obstetricians and midwives from the hospital are in attendance at these clinics.  Click here to find your nearest clinic.