Dr Elaine Ní Bhraonáin

Elaine has extensive experience in preterm birth as all her three children were born prematurely due to various pregnancy complications. She has spent months as an inpatient on bedrest on each pregnancy (2014, 2015 and 2019). Elaine has turned this experience into her area of expertise and advocates on behalf of parents who have spent time in the NICU with an ill child.

Elaine suffered from severe obstetric cholestasis before her eldest son was born at 36 weeks. Her second son was born at 30 weeks, due to Placenta Previa (grade 4), was gravely ill when born and was ventilated for many weeks, spent months in intensive care but thankfully survived. On her third pregnancy Elaine suffered from Placenta Accreta and came close to losing her own life during surgery at 35 weeks but after a total blood replacement, she and her son survived.

Elaine’s interests lie in providing expectant mothers with up-to-date findings regarding pregnancy complications and in the aftercare (particularly mental trauma) of parents who have had babies in the NICU.

Elaine has been a director on the board of the Irish Neonatal Health Alliance since 2016 and is involved with Placenta Accreta Ireland since 2019.

Her background is Irish-U.S Studies. She holds a BA, 2 MAs and and a PhD in history. She lived in New York for 8 years where she gained experience in fund raising, grant and report writing and conference organising.