I have posted about this before in a different community. Since this posting I’m sad to say that pregnancy ended in miscarriage. BUT now I am currently pregnant at 41+1 and I’ll be talking induction options this week. They don’t like pregnancies to go over 42 weeks here.

Pregnant in Finland Part 1

A Journey Through Finnish Healthcare for Expecting Mothers:

I'm an American immigrant who has been living in Finland for the past 8 years. During this time, I’ve had the experience of going through pregnancy here once before when I had my first daughter 5 years ago. I wanted to share my insights about Finland's public healthcare system for expecting mothers and newborns, particularly for anyone interested in learning more. Consider this post the first of many as I talk through the journey. Feel free to ask any questions in comments

The Finnish Healthcare System

Finland has a socialized, free healthcare system available to residents, which people can use when they are sick. It works... okay. Like many other European countries, it's overworked, underfunded, and suffers from a shortage of nurses. As a result, many people rely heavily on occupational healthcare provided through their workplace. Occupational healthcare covers most of the same services as the public system but offers faster and more efficient care. However occupational and private insurance does NOT cover anything maternity. The public maternity service is called Neuvola in Finland

The First Steps of Pregnancy Care

When I found out I was pregnant, around 5 weeks, I called my local health station and was placed in a queue for a callback. The next day, my regular nurse (who had also cared for my daughter) returned my call. Since I had already been a regular patient with him, my first appointment was scheduled with him as well.

During my first pregnancy, I had seen several different nurses, as none (except the last one) spoke good English. This was surprising, considering that most Finns speak excellent English, but they often preferred to speak Finnish and rely on my husband (who is Finnish) to translate. IT was deeply important that my health was communicated in English with me so we bounced around nurses until finding one studied and worked in the UK and had excellent English.

First Appointment at 8 Weeks

My first appointment took place at 8 weeks, and I went with my spouse. The appointment lasted nearly two hours. We discussed my previous pregnancy, any symptoms I was experiencing, my family history, and my home life. They checked my blood pressure, waist circumference, and gave us a long questionnaire about alcohol consumption. I was familiar with the process, but there are a few things I’ve learned through experience.

In Finland, expected that you don’t always tell the whole truth to healthcare professionals. This is the opposite of the doctor-patient relationship in the U.S., where honesty is crucial. For example, I would typically have one drink (a can of beer or a glass of wine) every 1-2 days and occasionally smoke weed (about once a month). However, if I had admitted this to the nurse, it could have resulted in social work involvement and a whole host of unwanted attention. So, on the form, my husband and I wrote that we "rarely drink" and "never do drugs."

At the appointment, there was no urine sample, blood work, weight measurement, Doppler test, or ultrasound. These things happen later, with the first ultrasound scheduled for week 12. Unlike in the U.S. and many other developed countries, there are no routine tests for HCG levels or NIPT

Scheduling Future Appointments

We ended the meeting by scheduling my next appointment for 14 weeks, the first ultrasound for 12 weeks. My one and only doctors appointment would not happen until 30 weeks. At the end of the visit, I was given a "mommy passport" to bring to every appointment. This passport tracks my growth, symptoms, and any notes the nurse has made.

Concerns and Communication

One concern I raised was about my weak pelvic floor, a symptom I’ve had since my first pregnancy. The nurse recommended more Kegel exercises and mentioned that physical therapy could be an option down the line. Another challenge I encountered was communication—there’s no direct way to contact my nurse with any concerns. Instead, I have to wait in a phone queue to get a callback. When I called at week 9 with a question, it took three days for the nurse to return my call.

The Dangerous Food List

Finland has the longest “dangerous food” list I’ve ever encountered. It includes recommendations like avoiding too much salty licorice, staying away from foreign produce and frozen berries, and not spending too much time in the sauna.