Setting
Annually, approximately 115,000 women give birth in Sweden. The vast
majority of all pregnant Swedish women attend the free of charge
maternal health program, including between 9 and 11 antenatal visits in
low-risk multiparous and nulliparous pregnancies, respectively.
Assessment of the need of additional visits or health care resources,
such as specialized maternity care, is determined at the first antenatal
visit based on the patient medical history and current disease-status,
or later by indication. Essentially all women give birth at
hospital-based delivery wards. The Stockholm region has six delivery
wards with approximately 28 000 deliveries annually, accounting for
approximately one fourth of all deliveries in Sweden.