Visiting the midwifery clinic (barnmorske-mottagningen)
Besök på barnmorskemottagningen - engelskaWhen you are pregnant, you may visit a midwifery clinic. These visits are to see how you and the baby in your womb are doing. You will be given advice and help to prepare for the birth of your child. The visits are free of charge.
Du kan läsa texten på svenska här.
Contact a midwifery clinic as soon as you know you are pregnant.
You can find midwifery clinics here. The page is in Swedish.
What happens at the visits?
At the midwifery clinic, you will meet a midwife (barnmorska). Here are some examples of what you may talk about:
- How you are feeling.
- Whether you have been pregnant before.
- If you have or previously had any illnesses.
- Your thoughts about the pregnancy.
- Good foods to eat when you are pregnant.
- How you can move your body and exercise during the pregnancy.
- How tobacco, alcohol, drugs and medicines can affect your baby.
- Your thoughts about giving birth to your baby and breastfeeding.
You will also learn about different tests that provide information about the development of the foetus in the womb. These tests are called foetal diagnostics.
You will also undergo examinations and provide samples.
The staff are sworn to secrecy
Everyone who works in healthcare is sworn to secrecy. No staff member is allowed to tell anyone else about your visits to the midwifery clinic.
How often do visits take place?
You usually visit the midwife about six to ten times during your pregnancy. The number of times you need to go varies.
Towards the end of your pregnancy, the visits will become more frequent.
Tests and checks
During the visits, the midwife will perform tests and examinations. These are done to find out how both you and your baby are doing.
It is common for the midwife to perform tests on your blood and urine.
Other things the midwife will usually check:
- Your blood pressure.
- How much you weigh.
- How your uterus is growing.
- How the baby is moving.
- Your baby's heartbeat.
Information about you is collected in a medical record
The midwife writes important things about your pregnancy in a digital medical record. The staff at the maternity ward will read your medical record when you are in labour.
Meetings for parents
The midwifery clinic organises meetings for expectant parents. At these, you meet others who are also going to be parents.
At the meetings, you are given information and advice. Common topics include giving birth, pain relief that can be given during labour, the newborn baby, and breastfeeding.
You can get extra support
If you are worried or scared about giving birth, you can get extra support.
Let the midwife know if there are things you are worried about. It can be anything.
Some people need to go to specialist prenatal care (specialistmödravården)
If you have a certain illness or condition, you may need to go to something called specialist prenatal care.
The midwife or doctor at the midwifery clinic will tell you if you need this special care.
Get help from an interpreter
If you do not speak Swedish, you can get help from an interpreter during your healthcare visits. Let the clinic know you need an interpreter when you book your appointment.
Return visit to the midwifery clinic
After giving birth, you will need to go for a return visit to the midwifery clinic. The return visit will take place after 2 to 16 weeks.
At the return visit, you will talk about the delivery and about breastfeeding.
The midwife will perform a gynaecological examination. The midwife will also talk about using protection against another pregnancy.
You may have several return visits.