Rotunda Hospital experienced 10% increase in births in 2021

The Rotunda Hospital on Parnell Street experienced a 10 percent increase in delivery numbers last year, according to its 2021 annual report.

Released yesterday, the report highlights a significant increase in overall clinical activity across all specialties in the hospital.

Some of the key milestones outlined in the report include the complete renovation of the delivery suite, with the expansion of two new permanent delivery rooms; the expansion of operating theatre capacity with dedicated gynaecology theatres; the expansion of the Emergency and Assessment Unit, with new patient evaluation and monitoring areas; and the opening of a new state-of-the-art Ambulatory Gynaecology Unit.

The increase in the number of 2021 deliveries means that the Rotunda Hospital keeps its place as Ireland’s busiest maternity hospital.

Commenting on the 2021 report, Professor Fergal Malone, Master of the Rotunda Hospital said: “The years 2020 and 2021 were of course dominated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“As if those were not sufficient challenges, we were the victims of cyber-warfare in 2021, when a vicious cyberattack targeting the HSE created disproportionate difficulties for the Rotunda as one of only two fully digital/paperless hospitals in Ireland.

“To successfully cope with this spectrum of external challenges while also managing a 10 percent increase in clinical volume from 2020 to 2021, highlights the skill, capabilities, and resilience of every single member of the Rotunda team.

“We managed an overall 10 percent increase in clinical volume in 2021.

“This included an increase of 800 women to 10,715 pregnancies registered for care in 2021 compared with 2020, leading to 821 more deliveries and 831 more babies to be cared for in 2021.”