Guidelines for Health Professionals working in Maternity Settings on the Care of Women with Concealed Pregnancy

The HSE Crisis Pregnancy Programme is please to make available the new ‘Guidelines for Health Professionals working in Maternity Settings on the Care of Women with Concealed Pregnancy’ authored by Ms Catherine Conlon and produced by the Crisis Pregnancy Programme in cooperation with the Health Service Executive (HSE).

The Guideline is effectively a Care Pathway intended to provide a protocol for health-care staff working in maternity settings, to improve their capacity to recognise, respond appropriately and have understanding of women who present concealing pregnancy. The protocol is aimed at multidisciplinary professionals attached to hospital-based maternity services in antenatal outpatients, and prenatal, labour, postnatal and gynaecological wards. The document is tailored for maternity settings where there is an on-site MSW presence, though it is adaptable for hospitals, where this is not the case. It was devised in consultation with all relevant stakeholders e.g. obstetricians, midwives, administrative personnel, as well as medical social workers.

To view pdf of the Guidelines click here.

Primary Care Guidelines for the Prevention and Management of Crisis Pregnancy

Tackling the issue of crisis pregnancy requires attention to a broad range of social, educational, legislative and medical areas. Crisis pregnancy is not the exclusive problem of one age group, nor is it the preserve of any one social group or geographical community. It is a reality for child-bearing women of every age group, of every walk of life and every part of the country. The unique skills and expertise of the GP allows a doctor in general practice to play a crucial role in supporting the woman at the centre of a crisis pregnancy. General practitioners are in a position to attempt to prevent and support unwanted and unplanned pregnancies as they provide ongoing medical care to their patients in an environment that allows doctor initiated issues to be discussed.

To view pdf of the Guidelines click here.