Galway hospitals see a rise in births

Galway Bay fm newsroom – Galway hospitals are among the minority which saw a rise in births this year. Today's Irish Independent reports that the baby boom is continuing to wane, with some maternity units seeing a substantial fall in births in the first four months of the year. In the year to April, Portiuncula Hospital in Ballinasloe saw a 4.6% increase in births compared to the first four months of 2013. UHG birth rates remained relatively stable, with a 0.1% increase. Ireland's birth rate remains the highest in Europe, but it's expected the drop will have implications for the future of some maternity units.