At Grand Parade Medical Practice, we provide care to ensure your baby is well and your health & wellbeing is maintained throughout pregnancy.

Care during pregnancy is provided free-of-charge to any persons ordinarily resident in Ireland under the Maternity & Infant Care Scheme. Blood tests incur a €30 fee.

The scheme provides for a number of scheduled visits to your GP and your Maternity Hospital. The initial visit should be with your GP before 12 weeks.

In reality, this is usually the visit when your GP confirms your pregnancy, soon after you have missed a period or done a positive test yourself. The GP then sends a referral letter to the hospital for shared care, and will advise you when the other visits are.

Influenza and Pertussis vaccination in pregnancy is recommended by the HSE to protect women and their babies. These vaccines are available at the GP Practice free of charge for all pregnant patients.

It is important to note that these visits do not allow for care for other illnesses which you may have which are not related directly to your pregnancy. Our normal consultation charges will apply in such cases.

We have all the paperwork for this scheme in the surgery and will go through it all with you on the initial visit. There is no charge for this first visit.

Antenatal Care Schedule - Number of weeks pregnant

• Before 12 weeks: Visit to GP
• Before 20 weeks: Visit to maternity Hospital / Obstetrician
• 24 weeks: Visit to GP
• 28 weeks: Visit to GP (Unless 1st pregnancy); Visit to maternity Hospital / Obstetrician (in case of first pregnancy)
• 30 weeks: Visit to GP
• 32 Weeks: Visit to maternity Hospital / Obstetrician
• 34 Weeks: Visit to GP
• 36 weeks: Visit to maternity Hospital / Obstetrician
• 37 Weeks: Visit to GP
• 38 Weeks: Visit to maternity Hospital / Obstetrician
• 39 weeks: Visit to GP
• 40 Weeks: Visit to maternity Hospital / Obstetrician