LAST UPDATE | 4 Jan 2021

PARTNERS WILL NO longer be allowed to attend the 20-22 week pregnancy scan, the Rotunda Hospital has announced.

The Rotunda, one of the main maternity hospitals in Dublin, made the announcement today.

A spokesperson said the “very difficult decision” was made “due to the surge in community-acquired Covid-19 infections & the move to Level 5 restrictions”.

The change in visiting policy will come into effect from tomorrow onwards.

Partners were not allowed to attend the 20-week anatomy scan for most of 2020 due to Covid-19 restrictions before this position was reversed by many hospitals.

However, due to a recent spike in cases of the virus, more maternity hospitals are also expected to update their visiting policy.

A spokesperson for the National Maternity Hospital said there are “currently no visitor restrictions in place” for partners attending 20-22 week scans at the hospital on Holles Street in Dublin. However, they said this position may change.

“Given the current public health context, the need for restrictions is reviewed on an ongoing basis. Any changes to current policy are published on the hospital’s social media channels,” they added.

Women attending the Coombe Hospital are required to go to their appointments alone. A spokesperson said the hospital’s Covid Executive Committee “reviews the situation on a daily basis each morning”.

Pregnant people attending Cork University Maternity Hospital for their 20-week scan can bring one nominated companion but that situation is “under review”, a spokesperson said.