Sweden implements national plan to strengthen maternity and women's healthcare

Sweden is implementing new measures to address challenges in maternity and women's healthcare. The government has allocated significant funding, including 1.5 billion SEK in an agreement with regional authorities and over 950 million SEK specifically for girls' and women's health in 2026. A ten-year national plan for maternity care, developed by the National Board of Health and Welfare (Socialstyrelsen), is being introduced to reduce regional disparities and ensure access to midwife teams throughout pregnancy and postpartum care.

Despite these investments, healthcare professionals report ongoing difficulties. A survey by Vårdförbundet indicated that 94 percent of midwives believed summer staffing levels were insufficient, with 45 percent describing the situation as worse than in previous years. Staff members have called for political action to utilize existing expertise and reduce staff turnover. Political discussions continue as both the current government and the opposition express commitments to improving women's health services ahead of upcoming elections.