Pregnant Yarva residents rarely receive childbirth support

In the annual report of the Maternal Health Unit, significant differences emerge between the problems experienced by pregnant women, which are related to which part of Stockholm they live in. The Yarva region stands out at several points.

The Stockholm Region Maternal Health Care Unit has compiled its annual report for 2021, in which the health of pregnant women and new mothers is reported at the district level. The report also includes statistics on screening for HPV and cervical cancer, and advice on contraception and venereal diseases.

Complications and risks during pregnancy such as gestational diabetes and obesity occur most among women in the Järva region. In 2021, Spånga-Tensta had the highest percentage of overweight or obese pregnant women, at 24.8 percent, compared to 12.8 percent in the entire Stockholm county. Normalm, Östermalm and Kungsholmen had the lowest proportion of overweight and obese pregnant women.

Mental illness during pregnancy is relatively common

But when it comes to alcohol use during pregnancy, the statistics show the opposite. There, women in Spånga-Tensta and Rinkeby-Kista stand out as having the lowest alcohol consumption, while women at the highest risk of alcohol consumption are pregnant in Bromma, Norrmalm and Södermalm.

Fear of childbirth and mental illness during pregnancy are relatively common, and about 20 percent are thought to be affected. But according to the report, fewer pregnant women in Jaffa neighborhoods received treatment or extra support than the city average. It’s not clear if this is because fewer people feel unwell or fewer people seek help.

Anna Nygaard