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5 Things I Learned About Pregnancy Care in Sweden as a First-Time Mom

I wrote this article back in May 2017 when I was pregnant with Teni 😍. One random afternoon, I was searching for what to expect from my clinic as a first-time mom (FTM) in Sweden, but I didn’t find many English articles covering this. So, I decided to write my own experience down!


If you're a pregnant newbie in Sweden, whether it’s your first, second, or third child, I believe this piece will be super helpful. These are 5 things that I learned about pregnancy care in Sweden —some I found strange, amazing, or just fascinating! Of course, there’s a lot more, but let’s stick to my favourite number 5 😍
1️⃣  1️⃣ Only One Official Ultrasound?! 😲       
This one shocked me. At my 10-week appointment, my midwife told me that I would have only one official ultrasound, around week 18-20. Just one?! Coming from Nigeria, I expected multiple scans, but in Sweden, the government funds only one anomaly scan to check the baby’s development.

💡 Need more scans? If you want an early scan before week 18, you’ll have to pay for a private ultrasound (which can get expensive depending on how far along you are).

2️⃣ First Appointment Isn’t Until 8-10 Weeks

So, you take a pregnancy test at 4 weeks, get a positive result, and call the clinic immediately, expecting an appointment the next day… Sorry to burst your bubble 😆—it doesn’t work that way! Once you inform the health center about your pregnancy, you’ll be assigned a midwife, who will schedule your first appointment between 8-10 weeks (mine was at week 10). If you don’t have any complications or major sickness, this is the standard process.

📌 Good to know: You can still call your midwife before the first appointment if needed

3️⃣ Your Midwife Handles Almost Everything!

Another shocker—if your pregnancy is normal, you might never see a doctor 😳! In Sweden, midwives handle almost all pregnancy care, from checkups to tests and even delivery support. Unless you have complications or medical concerns, you’ll see only your assigned midwife until you pop your baby out. Coming from Nigeria, where I was used to doctors handling most checkups, this was a major adjustment for me!

4️⃣ Antenatal Care is 100% Free! 🙌

I was so relieved when my midwife told me that I wouldn’t have to pay for any antenatal visits. Sweden offers completely free maternity care to residents with a personnummer (similar to a Social Security Number in the USA).

💡 What’s covered?
✔ Regular antenatal checkups
✔ Blood pressure & urine tests
✔ Fetal heartbeat monitoring
✔ The one official ultrasound

For a first-time mom trying to budget and plan, this was a huge relief!

5️⃣ Listening to my Baby’s Heartbeat = My Best Part! 💓

One of my favourite moments of pregnancy was listening to my baby’s heartbeat at every appointment. From my second trimester, my midwife used a handheld Doppler to check my baby’s heart rate—it was such a beautiful, emotional experience for me! 😍. I low-key wished I could visit my midwife every day just to hear it again and again! 😆

Other Things to Note:

✔ You’ll be assigned to the health center closest to your home.
✔ Every visit includes blood pressure and urine checks to monitor your health.
✔ You won’t get a prescription for minor pregnancy discomforts—your midwife will mostly suggest natural remedies first.

My Take on Pregnancy Care in Sweden

Overall, pregnancy in Sweden is simple, structured, and stress-free (for the most part 😆). While some things—like only one ultrasound—felt strange at first, I appreciated how thorough and well-organized the system was.

If you're a first-time mom in Sweden, just know that midwife care is normal, everything is free, and you will only get one ultrasound unless there’s a medical reason for more.


I hope this post helps someone out there! Hey, before you go—if you liked this article, consider buying me a coffee by clicking here ☕💖. Until next time...💋

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2 comments

  1. UnknownMarch 28, 2018 at 7:39 AM

    You look so cute!!! All the best :D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wemi IbidunApril 2, 2018 at 10:54 PM

      Thank you so much Rae for your beautiful comment. I appreciate it.

      Delete

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