The Maternity and Infant Care Scheme ensures free maternity care consultations to all expectant mothers who are ordinarily resident in Ireland. This consists of shared care between your GP practice and your obstetrician for your pregnancy, with a 2 week and 6 week check for your baby.
Antenatal Care

Here at Inishowen Medical, maternity care is provided by our team of doctors and our midwife, Nurse Anne-Marie Fogarty.
We will help guide you through the pregnancy including how best to take care of yourself and your baby. We would advise every woman to take folic acid in early pregnancy, to eat a normal balanced diet, to avoid alcohol and cigarettes and to remain physically active throughout the pregnancy.
We recommend that you should make an appointment as soon as you find out you are pregnant. At your first visit we will confirm your pregnancy and help you to make all the decisions regarding your care during the pregnancy.
We also provide the following services:
• Ante Natal & Post Natal Advice and support.
• Antenatal classes.
• Breastfeeding advice.
• Weaning advice & introduction of solids
• Baby Developmental Checks at 2 and 6 weeks of the infant’s age.
If you are not yet pregnant but are planning to try we also offer pre-conceptual counselling and advice.
If you are pregnant you may be entitled to maternity benefit. You can find this form in useful forms
Useful websites:
Dietary advice in pregnancy: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/foods-to-avoid-pregnant/
Folic acid: https://www.fpa.org.uk/planning-pregnancy/folic-acid
Whooping cough vaccine in pregnancy: https://www.hse.ie/eng/health/immunisation/pubinfo/adult/pertussis/pertussisfact.pdf
Flu vaccine in pregnancy: https://www.hse.ie/eng/health/immunisation/pubinfo/flu-vaccination/flu-vaccine-pregnancy/
Breast feeding: www.breastfeeding.ie