The results of the second National Maternity Experience Survey have been published, capturing the views of women who gave birth in Ireland’s 19 maternity hospitals and units, and at home, during February and March 2025. This follows the first survey of its kind delivered by the National Care Experience Programme in 2020, with the experiences shared by women who gave birth in 2025 offering clear insight into the improvements implemented since the initial survey.

Compared to 2020, the 2025 survey showed progress in seven areas, particularly in involvement in care decisions, opportunities to ask questions, as well as emotional support from healthcare professionals when babies were in the neonatal unit. Four of the areas that saw more positive scores this year were identified as priorities for improvement in 2020, showing that maternity services listened to what women said in the 2020 survey and took targeted actions to improve care. Nevertheless, some areas saw a decline from the 2020 survey, including information on physical changes and nutrition during pregnancy, support with feeding the baby at home and communication with GPs after birth.

Overall, 83% of participants in 2025 rated their maternity care as ‘good’ or ‘very good’, while 17% of participants rated their maternity care as ‘fair to poor’. The majority of women reported positive experiences of care, with most women saying they felt treated with dignity and respect, and had confidence and trust in the healthcare professionals that cared for them.

Although there has been progress since 2020 in opportunities to ask questions about labour and birth, this area requires further improvement. For example, some women felt that they did not have the opportunity to ask questions about the labour and birth after their baby was born, and communication between the maternity service and their GP during their pregnancy was not good.

The survey also found differences in women’s experiences depending on their socioeconomic background. Women from disadvantaged areas were more likely to report positive postnatal care experiences at home or in the community, while women from affluent areas were more likely to feel involved in decisions during pregnancy and birth.

Responding to the survey findings, Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll McNeill said: 

“It is important that we listen to the voices of women receiving maternity care and use their experiences to continue to improve our services, my thanks to them for engaging with this survey. 

The results of the survey show that while women’s experiences of our maternity services are positive, there are also areas that we can address to make improvements. I would like to acknowledge the hard work of our many healthcare professionals who have contributed to improvements in the services, including through initiatives such as our new Postnatal Hubs and deploying additional lactation consultants. As we enter the final year of the National Maternity Strategy in 2026, we must ensure that we use this feedback to continue driving improvements.”

Angela Fitzgerald, HIQA’s Chief Executive Officer, stated: 

“We recognise that listening to the lived experiences of women and prioritising clear communication with them are essential components in understanding and meeting their needs. The National Maternity Experience Survey is vital for amplifying women’s voices and ensuring their experiences drive meaningful improvements in Ireland’s maternity services.”

Bernard Gloster, HSE Chief Executive Officer, said: 

“I want to thank the women who took part in the survey. Their feedback and contributions provide us with valuable insights that help us to enhance and improve our maternity services. Our HSE ‘Listening, Responding and Improving’ report, also published today, highlights improvement initiatives already underway. We’re committed to enhancing the quality of maternity services and the experiences of women and their families.’’

To coincide with the national survey results, 19 reports for the corresponding maternity hospitals and maternity units have also been published today and are available at www.yourexperience.ie. The HSE has also published a response to the survey findings on the local and national initiatives being developed to improve the quality of care provided to patients. All reports are available at www.yourexperience.ie. 

To learn more about the results of the survey watch our short animation, and follow us on X, Instagram and Facebook.

Ends 

For further information please contact:
Caoimhe O’Connell, Communications Manager, HIQA
087 639 5916 | caoconnell@hiqa.ie

Notes to the editor

• The National Maternity Experience Survey is part of the National Care Experience Programme, a joint initiative by the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA), the Health Service Executive (HSE) and the Department of Health. The National Care Experience Programme also includes surveys on inpatient care, maternity bereavement, and end-of-life care. Find out more about the programme on https://yourexperience.ie/.   
• Pregnancy loss is not included in the National Maternity Experience Survey, as the care pathways in these circumstances are different. Women who experience pregnancy loss, stillbirths and neonatal deaths may be invited to participate in the next National Maternity Bereavement Experience Survey.
• A total of 3,354 women took part in the 2025 survey, representing a 42% response rate.
• In addition to the structured survey responses, participants provided 6,728 comments on their experiences, giving insights into both positive and negative aspects of their care. These comments enhance understanding of the needs and expectations of people using maternity services which in turn offers valuable context to the quantitative survey results.
• The survey findings were also analysed using the Pobal HP Deprivation Index, Ireland's primary social gradient tool, used by Government departments and state agencies to identify geographic disadvantage. Available at: https://www.pobal.ie/pobal-hp-deprivation-index/
• The survey revealed notable differences in maternity care experiences among certain cohorts with women.
  • The youngest survey participants (aged less than 25) reported more negative experiences with many different aspects of their maternity care, compared to other age groups.
  • Participants who were first-time mothers were more likely to report poorer experiences with aspects of their maternity care related to communication from healthcare professionals and feeding support.
  • Participants who had a long-term condition or disability, reported poorer experiences with aspects of their postnatal care in hospital after birth, compared to participants with no disability.