Partners may now be allowed into maternity scans, but only on compassionate grounds.
The Health Service has reviewed its visiting policy and circulated it to all acute hospitals.
Many expectant mothers say the felt very alone having to attend appointments or go through labour by themselves due to visiting restrictions.
Under new guidelines, partners can attend appointments, but only in certain circumstances such as when a pregnancy is found to be unviable.
The HSE's Dr Colm Henry says the safety of patients is still the top priority.
"There is a recognition in what we are doing that there is a special role in maternity hospitals for partners that we must seek to try and fulfil insofar as we can."
However, he added that has to be "within the margins of safety especially as we see high levels of community transmission which means visitors to the hospital are potentially asymptomatic".
The HSE's Chief Operations Officer Anne O'Connor says the policy has been sent to all maternity hospitals.
"It allows for a level of visiting on the basis of compassion and I think it's important to stress again that our priority is to keep people safe and well within our healthcare settings- both for people who are availing of services and our staff.
"I know that there is a very strong view on this and we are obviously keen to support people as much as we can."
