Dr. Adrienne Foran:

There are a couple of issues. Of the 106 women whom Justin met last year, only 68 delivered. Some miscarried and there was a higher rate of premature and stillbirths among those women. There were many complex issues during their pregnancies for these women. That is one of the reasons for the fall-off in numbers. I also know from my own follow-up clinics in the Rotunda that they would be among the highest non-attenders. The HSE can have a one-strike-and-you-are-out policy if an adult does not turn up for an appointment but we feel a big responsibility not just to these babies but to all babies. It is not the babies' fault that their mothers did not bring them back so we give them two or three appointments, we contact social workers and public health nurses and try to track them down.