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Fertility, Family Planning, and Antenatal Care

Hands making heart shape over pregnant tummy

At Leeson Clinic, we offer pre-conception counselling to optimise your health if you are
considering a pregnancy. We recommend you attend for a pre-conception appointment at least 3 months prior to starting to conceive. Approximately 1 in 6 heterosexual couples in Ireland experience fertility problems. Same-sex couples and individuals requiring donor eggs or sperm may have specific reproductive needs too. If you are having difficulty conceiving, we can help. We can perform relevant blood tests, including an AMH (Anti-Mullerian Hormone) test, refer for semen analysis, or a pelvic ultrasound
scan, and help with referral to a fertility clinic if needed.

When you get a positive pregnancy test result at home, or begin to experience some early pregnancy symptoms, please schedule a pregnancy confirmation appointment with us at Leeson Clinic (email reception@leesonclinic.ie). We will be delighted to discuss the “do’s and don’ts of pregnancy” with you and guide you through the options available to you for antenatal care.

Maternity and Infant Care Scheme


Every woman who is pregnant and ordinarily resident in Ireland is entitled to free maternity care under the Maternity and Infant Scheme. Unfortunately at Leeson Clinic we DO NOT participate in this free scheme. You are welcome to attend us for your routine antenatal care, and consultations will be charged at the usual rate.

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Vaccines


There are 3 vaccines you should consider getting during your pregnancy:

  • whooping cough (pertussis) vaccine

  • flu vaccine

  • COVID-19 vaccine

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Getting these vaccines reduces the risk of you becoming ill with these conditions during your pregnancy, and also protects your baby while they're in your womb and for the first few months of their life. Contact us by emailing reception@leesonclinic.ie to arrange your pregnancy vaccination appointment.

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Whooping Cough Vaccine


Whooping cough (also known as pertussis) is highly contagious and can be life-threatening for babies.

You should get the vaccine:

  • during each pregnancy

  • between week 16 and 36 of your pregnancy (you can have it after 36 weeks but it's less effective)

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Flu Vaccine


If you are pregnant you should get the flu vaccine because you are at increased risk of severe complications from flu. The vaccine protects you during pregnancy. Getting the flu increases the risk of complications during your pregnancy and birth. The flu can lead to premature birth, smaller babies and stillbirth.

The flu vaccine can reduce the risk of stillbirth by over 50%. Getting the vaccine during pregnancy also protects your baby after birth. It reduces your baby’s risk of being admitted to hospital due to the flu.

You can get the flu vaccine safely at any time during pregnancy and you should get it as early as possible in your pregnancy. Flu season in Ireland usually lasts from September to the end of April. If you're pregnant during these months, you should get the flu vaccine. If you are pregnant through two flu seasons, two vaccines, one in each season, may be necessary.

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COVID-19 vaccine

Evidence shows COVID-19 vaccines are safe for you and your baby and protect you from getting very unwell. Most pregnant women who get COVID-19 get mild to moderate symptoms. They give birth as planned and the risk of transmitting COVID-19 to their baby is low. But you are more likely to get very unwell and need treatment in intensive care than a woman who is not pregnant. The virus may also cause complications for your baby.

Postnatal Depression

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Postnatal depression affects 10 to 15% of women within the first year of giving birth. The symptoms of postnatal depression sometimes start as baby blues and then get worse. For some women, the symptoms take time to develop and may be most obvious when your baby is 4 to 6 months old.

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Symptoms of postnatal depression vary from person to person. You may have mild or severe symptoms. No matter what symptoms you have, there are supports available to help. If you think you are experiencing postnatal depression, it is important to ask for help. You can contact your public health nurse or contact the practice to arrange an appointment to see your GP and discuss how you are feeling. If you do not feel up to contacting the practice, you can ask someone you trust (such as a partner, friend or family member) to make an appointment for you.

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Useful Links & Resources

 

The following websites are all good resources:

  • Cuidiú - is a parent-to-parent voluntary support charity offering free information about postnatal depression. The charity also has parent-to-parent supporters who can chat and listen to you by email, phone or online. Find contact details for your local support worker on the Cuidiú website.

  • Breastfeeding.ie - excellent HSE website providing practical information about how to breastfeed, local support groups, educational videos, etc.

  • Rollercoaster.ie - Irish parenting website with useful information and discussion boards on a wide range of topics.

  • Mummypages.ie - As well as new stories and advice articles, Mummypages also has a forum where parents can talk and discuss all topics regarding raising children.

  • Association of Lactation Consultants Ireland - contact details for accredited lactation consultants.

This content of this page (and links to other sites) is for general information purposes only and does not substitute medical advice. While we endeavour to keep this website up-to-date, errors may occur. We advise all patients to discuss their health concerns with their GP. If you would like to suggest amendments or highlight new information that could be useful to others please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

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