06/01/2026
Here is a detailed breakdown of number of visits under each pathway 👇
📉Supported Care Pathway (Low Risk)
This pathway is for uncomplicated pregnancies and involves a standard schedule of approximately 12-13 visits. Care is shared between your GP and a midwife led team at the hospital. The schedule is fixed and predictable.
👩🏻⚕️🧑⚕️👨⚕️Assisted Care Pathway (Medium Risk)
This pathway also follows the standard 12-13 visit schedule. The main difference is that your hospital appointments will be with a consultant led team, which includes doctors and midwives, rather than midwives alone.
📈 Specialised Care Pathway (High Risk)
This pathway is for pregnancies with higher clinical needs. The schedule is flexible and not fixed, meaning you will have a higher number of hospital visits (often 15+) depending on your specific situation. Care is led by a specialist consultant and a multidisciplinary team.
🏥 When you first book in at the hospital, you’re assigned one of the following pathways: Supported, Assisted, or Specialised. This is based on your health history.
‼️But here is the most important thing to know. That pathway is not permanent.
Here’s why your pathway might change ⬇️
🔄 At every single appointment, your midwife or doctor is reevaluating your risk. If a new factor pops up, like high blood pressure or a change in baby’s growth your risk will be adapted accordingly.
🎢 You can move from the Supported (midwife led) pathway to the Assisted or Specialised (consultant led) pathway at any stage of your pregnancy if your clinical needs require closer monitoring.
📈 While these infographics show the standard schedule of 12-13 visits, they are a baseline. If you need extra scans, more frequent blood pressure checks, or specialist monitoring, your visits will be increased as clinically needed.
Questions about which pathway you’re on? Drop them below 👇
**** This information is for pregnant women ordinarily resident in Ireland. Under the Maternity and Infant Care Scheme, your pregnancy care is 100% free, this includes your GP visits and hospital care. 🇮🇪✨
