Having your baby at Cork University Maternity Hospital

These answers come from the HSE's pages for CUMH and its national pregnancy care pages, checked on 2 November 2026. CUMH's own website was down for maintenance that day, so check anything you plan around with the hospital.

Where is Cork University Maternity Hospital and how do I contact it?

CUMH is on Wilton Road, Wilton, Cork city, T12 YE02, and the main hospital number is 021 492 0500. The HSE lists the maternity emergency service number as 021 492 0545. For general health questions, HSE Live is free on 1800 700 700, Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm and Saturday 9am to 5pm.

Getting there by bus: from Cork city, routes 201, 205, 208, 214, 216, 219 and 220 serve the hospital, and the 205 and 220 stop at Bishopstown Avenue, about 5 minutes' walk away. From the county, routes 236, 237 and 239 stop outside the main gates.

How do I book in to CUMH for my pregnancy?

Public maternity care is free under the HSE Maternity and Infant Care Scheme, and you do not need a medical card or GP visit card. You register with a GP, who helps you sign up, and you need your PPS number. Your first appointment is with your GP. If you do not have a GP, contact your maternity unit.

The scheme covers your GP and hospital visits, care in labour and birth, a public ward bed, ultrasound scans, pregnancy blood tests and your postnatal checks. You see your GP at least five times during the pregnancy, alongside your hospital visits.

When is the booking visit and what happens?

The booking visit is your first appointment at the maternity unit, with a midwife, and the HSE says it usually happens between 8 and 12 weeks. The midwife asks about your medical and family history and any past pregnancies, and takes a blood sample. You are offered a dating scan at the booking visit.

Have your PPS number ready, as you need it to register for the scheme. The HSE Health App can show your hospital appointments and tell you when one is added or changed, if the hospital takes part.

Which scans will I have at CUMH?

Under the HSE schedule you are offered a dating scan at your booking visit, then a fetal anatomy scan, also called the anomaly scan, at 20 to 22 weeks at the hospital. Ultrasound scans are covered by the free Maternity and Infant Care Scheme, so there is nothing to pay for them as a public patient at CUMH.

Does CUMH run antenatal classes?

Yes. The HSE lists an in person antenatal class at CUMH, which you book by emailing CUMH.Antenatalclass@hse.ie. CUMH also runs antenatal breastfeeding classes, online or face to face, by appointment: ring 087 662 3874 or 021 492 0752. Public antenatal classes are usually free, and your partner can come to them all.

The HSE says most classes start between 26 and 32 weeks, so book soon after your booking visit. Early pregnancy classes start before 20 weeks.

Where is the CUMH Early Pregnancy Assessment Unit?

The Early Pregnancy Assessment Unit is not on the main hospital site. It is at South Ring Business Park, 1st Floor, Unit 3, Kinsale Road, Cork, T12 F88X. You need an appointment, and you can be referred by your GP or the hospital's Emergency and Assessment Unit. It is open weekdays from 8am to 1pm.

The unit's phone number is 021 492 7441. It is closed at weekends.

What should I do if I am worried during my pregnancy?

If you are worried about yourself or your baby at any stage, ring your midwife, your GP or the hospital rather than waiting for your next appointment. The HSE lists the CUMH maternity emergency service on 021 492 0545, at the main hospital on Wilton Road. In an emergency, ring 112 or 999.

What are the visiting times at CUMH?

Visiting is from 3pm to 4pm and from 7pm to 8.30pm, with 2 visitors at a time plus a support partner. Support partners can visit from 7am to 11pm. The HSE asks you to phone before visiting to check you can come and whether children are allowed, and not to visit with cold or flu symptoms.

You may be asked to wear a face mask in some parts of the hospital.

Can I have a home birth through CUMH?

CUMH has an HSE Home Birth Service, and its contact number is 087 288 9499. The HSE says that to have a home birth you book in at a maternity hospital of your choice early in pregnancy, at 10 to 12 weeks. The HSE lists a midwife as the referral route, so ask yours early.

Lullagram's pregnancy section is free: week by week guidance from the HSE, your Irish dates such as when to apply for Maternity Benefit, and your maternity unit with its HSE pages. This is general information from the HSE, not medical advice. If you are worried, contact your midwife, GP or maternity unit.