Dr. Rhona Mahony:

I believe that is a resource issue but, in reality, there are two main opportunities for women to have prenatal screening. The first would be in the first trimester when chromosomal anomalies can be diagnosed using a maternal blood test, but that is very expensive. It costs about €350 and it is an opt-in test, so women who do not have the means to pay for that will not access that test.

Regarding the reference to one third of hospitals, I was referring to ultrasound scanning. It is a standard of care obstetrics in 2017 that women would have anomaly scanning. The primary reason for anomaly scanning is that if there is a difference or a challenge picked up for a baby, it is really important that we identify that in order that we can provide the best possible care to a mother and her baby. For example, if we diagnose that a baby has a congenital heart problem, we can connect the mum and the baby with the services that will be required after the baby's delivery with the surgeons and all the multidisciplinary care because we know that there is a problem. That is the most important reason for providing ultrasound scanning. It is to our shame that a third of units in this country do not provide routine anomaly scanning.