We all know The National Maternity Hospital in Dublin as the place where generations of Irish families have been made.  What you might not know is that it is also the birthplace of next generation innovation and research for women and babies.

The National Maternity Hospital is the home to Ireland’s only perinatal genomics service and is one of only a handful of places in the world that provides this specialism of clinical genetics for babies.  By providing the service from within Ireland’s National Maternity Hospital, Irelands only Perinatal Genomist Dr Samantha Doyle is pioneering an approach that could improve health outcomes for babies all over the world.  

Cutting-edge technology can now diagnose genetic conditions as early as 20 weeks in pregnancy.  The new Perinatal Genomics Service at the NMH has the potential to dramatically improve the quality of life of babies with severe disabilities and rare congenital conditions.  It can also help mothers who have suffered multiple pregnancy losses to have healthy babies.    

Genomics is genetics on a larger scale.  A genomic test captures information from many genes at the same time and genomic medicine plays a crucial role in all aspects of pregnancy.  In 3% of pregnancies, congenital anomalies are identified on ultrasound scans so a significant number of patients need timely access to specialist care.  

With advances in technology and scientists’ ability to understand and read the data, results that used to take up to a year, can now be returned in 14 days.  This is a real paradigm shift in maternity care.   

As well as looking at patient outcomes in relation to diagnostic yield and how pregnancy management is informed, a large part of this work at the NMH is focused on the patient experience and how this integrated approach impacts their journey and patient experience.  Listening to and understanding and patient voice is paramount to a patient-centred approach to antenatal care.  

The NMH Foundation supports research and innovation at the National Maternity Hospital and actively seeks corporate and philanthropic partners to fund research and help transform health care for women and babies in Ireland and Europe.  

Information and data from innovations like the perinatal genomics service at the NMH delivers evidence that integrated care alters and improves perinatal care and is best for patients. 

To learn more about how investment in research drives impact for women and babies, contact Mary O’Donovan at the NMH Foundation mary@nmhfoundation.ie.