What pregnancy scans do you get in Ireland?

Your first look at your baby is one of the big moments of pregnancy, and the timing in Ireland is not always what friends abroad or online forums describe. Here is how scans work in the Irish public system, checked against the HSE's guidance in October 2026.

What scans do you get in Ireland?

Public maternity care offers two main scans, both free under the Maternity and Infant Care Scheme. The HSE says the dating scan should be done before 15 weeks and the fetal anatomy scan usually happens at 18 to 22 weeks. Extra appointments for pregnancy-related conditions are covered by the scheme too.

Scan	When	What it checks
Dating scan	Usually at the booking visit, 8 to 12 weeks; before 15 weeks	Heartbeat, due date, size, more than one baby
Fetal anatomy (anomaly) scan	Usually 18 to 22 weeks	How your baby is developing, the placenta

Your GP registers you for the scheme, using your PPS number, and refers you to your maternity unit or hospital, which books the scans. You do not need a medical card. Our guide to how pregnancy care works in Ireland covers the rest of the appointments.

When is the dating scan?

Usually at your booking visit, your first appointment at the maternity unit or hospital, which the HSE says takes place between 8 and 12 weeks. All pregnant women in Ireland are offered a dating scan, and it should be done before 15 weeks. If you have no appointment yet, ring your maternity unit.

The HSE says the dating scan looks for:

• Your baby's heartbeat
• Your expected birth date
• Your baby's size
• Whether you are expecting more than 1 baby

At the same booking visit a midwife asks about your medical and family history and takes a sample of your blood. If you have just found out, our guide to what to do next in Ireland walks through the first weeks in order.

Do I need a full bladder for my scan?

For the dating scan, yes. The HSE explains that in early pregnancy your womb is small and sits low in the pelvis, and a full bladder helps push it upwards so it can be seen. Most scans are done on your tummy, but early on a vaginal scan can give a clearer view.

The HSE says a scan normally takes about 20 to 30 minutes. It does not hurt, but the probe may be pressed quite firmly on your tummy, which can be uncomfortable with a full bladder. Between 6 and 12 weeks you may be offered a transvaginal scan, where the probe is placed gently inside your vagina; the HSE says it can give the clearest view of your baby's heartbeat in the first trimester. Scans are safe at any stage of pregnancy.

Can I get a 6 or 8 week scan in Ireland?

Not as part of routine public care, where the scans are the dating scan and the anatomy scan. If you have bleeding or pain in early pregnancy, your GP may refer you to your maternity hospital or an early pregnancy unit for a scan. Some parents also choose to pay for an extra private scan.

Very early scans have limits. The HSE says you usually cannot see a pregnancy on a scan before 6 weeks, so a scan done too soon can show nothing even when all is well. For what is going on week by week, see 6 weeks pregnant and 8 weeks pregnant.

Can my partner come to the scan?

Usually, yes. The HSE says most ultrasound departments let you bring a support person, but check with your maternity unit first, as rules vary. Children are usually not allowed at the dating scan, and you will not be allowed to record the scan on a phone or video camera.

If you want more photos of your baby or a video, the HSE says you can choose to pay for extra scans privately. Your routine scans in the public system are there to check on your baby.

When is the anatomy scan?

Usually between 18 and 22 weeks, and some maternity units do it at 20 to 22 weeks. The HSE calls it the fetal anatomy scan; you will also hear it called the anomaly scan. It is offered as part of standard antenatal care and is free in the public system.

The HSE says the anatomy scan checks:

• How your baby is developing
• Whether your baby has birth defects such as spina bifida or heart problems
• The position of the placenta

It can sometimes show your baby's sex too. See 20 weeks pregnant for what else is happening around then.

Can I find out the sex at the anatomy scan?

Sometimes. The HSE says the anatomy scan can show your baby's sex, but the person doing the scan may not be able to see every part of your baby, depending on how they are lying. If you would rather keep it a surprise, say so at the start of the scan.

The scan is there to check your baby's health first, so finding out the sex is never guaranteed.

Are pregnancy scans free in Ireland?

Yes, in public care. The Maternity and Infant Care Scheme covers your scan and pregnancy blood tests along with your GP and hospital appointments, and you do not need a medical card. Extra scans for photos or a video are something you can choose to pay for privately. The NIPS blood test is not free either.

NIPS (non-invasive prenatal screening) is a blood test you can choose to have, but the HSE says it is not offered as part of free public maternity services, so you pay for it, privately if your hospital does not offer it. If you are weighing up public, semi-private or private care, see public vs private maternity care in Ireland.

What happens if the scan finds a problem?

If the anatomy scan shows a possible problem, the HSE says you will be offered an appointment with a fetal medicine specialist, who may suggest more tests such as amniocentesis or CVS. If an early scan does not show the pregnancy, you will usually have more scans and blood tests before anything is clear.

The HSE lists the most common reasons a pregnancy does not show on an early scan: it is too soon to see the baby, a miscarriage, a pregnancy outside the womb (ectopic pregnancy), a very high BMI or fibroids. While you wait, most obstetricians advise avoiding travel outside the country, strenuous exercise and sex. Your obstetrician, midwife and GP know how hard this wait is, so ask them anything.

When should I call my GP or maternity unit?

Contact your GP if you have light bleeding in early pregnancy with no other symptoms. Contact your maternity hospital urgently if you have heavy bleeding, severe pain in your tummy, pain across your shoulders, you faint or you feel very unwell. Do not wait for a scan appointment to come round.

Your GP may send you to your maternity hospital for a scan, to an early pregnancy unit to look into the bleeding, or to the emergency department if your symptoms are severe. Most women with light bleeding are sent home afterwards. For the full list of warning signs in early pregnancy, see just found out you're pregnant.

How can I keep track of my scan dates?

Write down the dates on your hospital letter, and if you have not been given a dating scan by around 12 weeks, ring your maternity unit. Lullagram's free pregnancy section works out your Irish dates from your due date, including when the dating and anatomy scans usually fall.

Your hospital's appointment always comes first: if your scan is booked for a different week, that is the date that counts. Lullagram also has weekly updates, a bump diary and a contraction timer, and the baby tracker is ready in the same app when your baby arrives. It is free on Android, iPhone and web. This is a guide, not medical advice. If you are worried, ask your midwife, GP or maternity unit.