Specialist Maternity Clinics

You can choose to self-refer to our Maternal Medicine Specialist Clinics, making it easier to access the care you need.

When booking online, include details of your medical condition and your preferred clinic in the comments. If booking by phone, simply let us know which clinic you wish to attend.

If you have letters or reports from your GP or consultant, please share them with us to support your referral. Please send your documents by post or email, as online upload is not available.

Your GP or consultant can also refer you by letter or via Healthlink. For queries, you can contact the team at celine.obrien@nmh.ie.

This combined Anaesthesia and Obstetric Clinic runs on the last Wednesday of each month and supports you if your pregnancy involves more complex needs requiring both obstetric and anaesthetic care.

Maternal Medicine and Anaesthetic Consultants will work closely together to plan your care, supporting you and your baby safely throughout your pregnancy and birth.

We may refer you to this clinic if you have a pre-existing condition or develop one during pregnancy, including rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, inflammatory bowel disease, chronic kidney disease, a history of organ transplant, autoimmune hepatitis, cardiomyopathy, or multiple sclerosis.

This specialist Cardiology and Obstetric Clinic runs on the third Wednesday of each month and supports you if you have a heart condition during pregnancy.

Prof Fionnuala McAuliffe, Consultant Obstetrician, and Dr Carla Canniffe, Consultant Cardiologist from St. Vincent’s University Hospital will work together to support both your heart health and your pregnancy.

We may refer you to this clinic if you have an existing or newly developed heart condition. In some cases, your first appointment and any specialist cardiac tests may take place at St. Vincent’s University Hospital.

This specialist Liver Clinic runs on the second Wednesday of each month and supports you if you have a liver condition during pregnancy.

Dr Omar Elsherif, Consultant Hepatologist from St. Vincent’s University Hospital, will work closely with your maternity team to plan care that supports both you and your baby.

We may refer you to this clinic if you have an existing or newly developed liver condition, including autoimmune hepatitis, Hepatitis B or C, severe cholestasis of pregnancy, or fatty liver disease.

This specialist Renal (Kidney) Clinic runs on the first Wednesday every second month and supports you if you have a kidney condition during your pregnancy.

Prof Fionnuala McAuliffe, Consultant Obstetrician, and Dr John Holian, Consultant Nephrologist from St. Vincent’s University Hospital, will work together to support both your kidney health and your pregnancy.

We may refer you to this clinic if you have an existing kidney condition or develop one during pregnancy.

This combined Rheumatology and Obstetric Clinic runs on the second Wednesday of each month and supports you if you have a rheumatological condition during your pregnancy.

A specialist team—including Prof Fionnuala McAuliffe, Consultant Obstetrician and Ms Louise Moore, Advanced Nurse Practitioner—will work together to support both your condition and your pregnancy.

The clinic is available for conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, Sjögren’s syndrome, psoriatic arthritis, and lupus.

This clinic runs every Wednesday and supports you if you are pregnant and on a methadone programme or experiencing substance use.

Drug Liaison Midwife Victoire Hurley works with community addiction services, the Maternal Medicine team, a social worker, and the pharmacy team to provide you with supportive, non-judgemental care.

It’s important to speak with the Drug Liaison Midwife before changing medication or detoxing, as this can affect your pregnancy. She will guide and support you throughout.

We support you during pregnancy and for six weeks after birth, with access to addiction programmes and inpatient care if needed. You can refer yourself, or your GP or healthcare provider can refer you.

If you develop gestational diabetes but do not need medication, you may be referred to our virtual clinic.

This service offers:

• Regular virtual appointments
• Blood sugar monitoring support
• Ongoing guidance and education

You will be supported from early pregnancy up to six weeks after birth, helping you manage your blood sugar safely and confidently.

You can request this clinic when booking your pregnancy:

• Online: Add a note saying you would like to attend the Diabetes Clinic
• By phone: Let the team know your preference

If you have letters or information from your GP or consultant, please send them to:
diabetes@nmh.ie

(Note: documents cannot be uploaded directly with your online booking.)

The clinic runs every Friday.

If you already have diabetes and are planning a pregnancy, speak to your GP or diabetes team for pre-pregnancy advice.

Once you are pregnant, referrals can be made:

• By GP or diabetes service
• Via Healthlink (please specify the clinic)
• By email: diabetes@nmh.ie
• By post: Diabetes in Pregnancy Clinic, Holles Outpatients Department, Holles Street, Dublin 2

01 637 3314 (Monday–Friday, 8am–3pm)
diabetes@nmh.ie

We are here to support you with clear guidance, regular reviews, and specialist care throughout your pregnancy.

All pregnant women are routinely monitored for anaemia. This includes regular blood tests (full blood count) throughout pregnancy.

If anaemia is detected, you will be referred to the Anaemia Clinic.

The Anaemia Clinic runs every Tuesday morning.

After your referral, a Specialist Midwife will contact you by phone to:

• Identify the cause of your anaemia
• Discuss your symptoms and medical history

The midwife will work closely with a Haematologist (blood specialist) to:

• Recommend treatment options
• Monitor your response to treatment

Your care plan will be tailored to your individual needs and may include:

• Advice on increasing iron in your diet
• Iron tablets
• Additional blood tests if needed
• Intravenous (IV) iron through a drip

In rare cases, where there is no response to treatment, a blood transfusion may be considered.

All treatments will be fully discussed with you, and a personalised care plan will be agreed.

We accept referrals from GPs. Referrals should include a full medical history and can be sent:

• By post:
  The Anaemia Clinic
  The Holles Outpatients Department
  Holles Street
  Dublin 2
• Via Healthlink

You may be referred to this clinic if you have:

• Had a previous preterm birth (before 34 weeks)
• Had two or more cervical procedures (such as LLETZ)
• Had a cone biopsy
• A uterine (womb) abnormality present from birth

We also offer pre-pregnancy (preconceptual) counselling if you are planning a pregnancy and are at higher risk of preterm birth.

Your first visit will ideally take place in the first trimester.

At this appointment:

• A midwife will take your medical history
• Blood tests, swabs and urine samples may be taken
• You will meet a Consultant or Senior Registrar to discuss your care in detail

Together, we will create a personalised care plan for your pregnancy.

You will usually attend clinic every 2–4 weeks.

As part of your care:

• The length of your cervix will be monitored using internal (vaginal) ultrasound scans
• If needed, a stitch (cerclage) may be placed to help reduce the risk of early birth
• Some women may be prescribed medication from around 16 weeks to help prevent preterm birth

If your pregnancy remains stable after 28 weeks, you may return to your preferred care pathway (public, semi-private or private).

You can request to attend the Preterm Birth Clinic when booking your pregnancy:

• Online: Add your request and include your medical history in the comments
• By phone: Let the team know you wish to attend the clinic

If you have letters or medical information from your GP or specialist, please send them so they can be reviewed:

Pretermsurveillanceclinic@nmh.ie
Preterm Birth Clinic, Holles Outpatients Department, Holles Street, Dublin 2

(Documents cannot be uploaded directly with your online booking.)

The clinic runs every Monday.

We also accept referrals from your GP.

It is important that your full medical history is included to help us plan your care safely.

Referrals can be sent:

• By Healthlink
• By post: Preterm Birth Clinic, Holles Outpatients Department, Holles Street, Dublin 2

You may be referred to this clinic if you have:

• Two consecutive early pregnancy losses for patients under 35 years of age; or
• Three consecutive early pregnancy losses for patients aged 35 to 42 years.

If you meet the referral criteria, you will be contacted and arrangements will be made for any recommended investigations.

These may include blood tests, ultrasound scans, and a follow-up consultation.

Following your appointment at the Recurrent Miscarriage Clinic, an individualised care plan will be developed to support you in any future pregnancies.

• If you have a positive pregnancy test following attendance at the clinic, you are encouraged to contact the Bereavement Midwife for advice regarding your pregnancy care plan, early pregnancy assessment, and ongoing support.
• During a subsequent pregnancy, patients may be referred to the TLC (Tender Loving Care) Clinic, where additional reassurance and support can be provided
• This may include more frequent ultrasound scans during the first trimester, up to 12 weeks’ gestation.
• Please note that the Recurrent Miscarriage Clinic is unable to provide second opinions on investigations or test results carried out in other hospitals or healthcare settings.

You can be referred from a member of your medical team within The National Maternity Hospital

Referrals from GPs within the NMH catchment area are accepted.