Updates

Swedish maternity care is generally of high quality, but there are also shortages and significant differences between clinics and in different parts of the country. The supply of skills and the working environment are also a challenge in maternity care, and the aftercare is inadequate and unequal. All pregnant and delivering women and their partners must receive more person-centred, safe, accessible and equal care. A success factor is that the healthcare system broadens the perspective beyond the pregnancy care chain and focuses on women’s sexual and reproductive health throughout their lives. The government has therefore decided on a national plan for maternity care at the beginning of 2024. The aim is to create a clear direction for the development of maternity care throughout the country and cover the entire care chain, that is, care and preventive measures during pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period. The plan must also support a more strategic and systematic improvement work in the regions aiming at increasing accessibility and reducing regional differences.