The three main Dublin maternity hospitals are to introduce stricter visiting policies to minimise the spread of the swine flu virus.
The new measures at the Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital, the Rotunda Hospital and the National Maternity Hospital will come into force on Friday.
Visiting will be limited to the partners or nominated visitors for expectant, new mothers and gynaecology in-patients at the three hospitals.
Only the parents or guardians of infants in the paediatric units will be allowed to visit, and no more than one person will allowed to accompany any adult patient attending the out-patient departments.
The new restrictions stipulate that children should not be brought into the hospitals as visitors.
Visitors with flu like symptoms or who have had recent household contact with individuals with flu are also requested not to visit the hospitals.
The hospitals highlighted the importance of a reduced length of stay in containing the spread of the virus.
The hospitals said the measures being taken were in line with the hospitals’ pandemic plans.
They noted the Health Service Executive had indicated that, given the current level of H1N1 activity in Ireland, hospitals would need to restrict visiting as required.
The hospitals also urged women - from 14 weeks of pregnancy to 6 weeks after delivery – to get vaccinated against the virus.
They said women who were under 14 weeks of pregnancy who had additional risk factors to also get vaccinated.