Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 25 Mar 1993

Vol. 428 No. 3

Written Answers. - Miscarriages Record.

Ivor Callely

Question:

83 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Health the way in which miscarriages are recorded; if he will give a comparison between recorded miscarriages in Ireland and those in our European partner States, if he has satisfied himself with the existing procedure; and the proposals, if any, he has to amend these.

Minister for Health (Mr. Howlin)

Miscarriages are not registered or notified, and there is, therefore, no national recorded rate of occurrence. Miscarriages which occur very early in pregnancy may go entirely undetected. I have no proposals to introduce any recording system in this area.