Maternity and child health clinics – for wholesome beginnings

Every year, around 4,500 new lives begin in our wellbeing services county. Almost every family receives service at our maternity and child health clinics, from the first stages of pregnancy until their child starts school—after which they will be covered by the school health services.

These clinics provide much more than check-ups. They offer practical guidance on parenting and child development, along with a safe space for open conversation and early support when life feels overwhelming. The clinics also work hand-in-hand with other family services.

Finland’s maternity and child health clinic system ("neuvola") is a globally unique model, backed by strong legislation. The first clinic, initiated by pediatrician Arvo Ylpö, opened in Helsinki in 1922, aiming to reduce maternal and infant mortality, infections, and malnutrition. The model spread quickly, becoming law in 1944 and nationwide by 1949. The impact was immediate: a sharp drop in maternal and infant mortality.

As society and family structures change, so too must the services that support their needs. Hence, clinics' are continually developing to meet the needs of today's families.

“We take great pride and joy in our clinic services and the dedicated professionals who work to support families every day," says Katariina Weber, Service Supervisor of Western Uusimaa maternity and child health clinics.”

“Of course, we are aware of the challenges posed by a changing society. That's why we're developing our services to meet the needs of today. The top priority is always supporting the families in our region.”

Alongside our core services, our clinics offer group sessions and coaching tailored to each stage of pregnancy. Family coaching sessions are designed to support health during pregnancy and the journey into parenthood.

Pregnancy and the prospect of future parenthood can also raise mental health challenges. Since mental health services cannot be accessed by everyone, self-care programs and digital coaching programs play an essential role.

Western Uusimaa Wellbeing Services County is actively participating in the "Stronger Together" research project led by the Research Centre for Child Psychiatry. This study screens for depression during pregnancy and evaluates treatments for mothers identified through our clinics. The study is seeking participants, so that we can shape our services to better meet the needs of pregnant individuals. Learn more on our website.

“'Stronger Together' is part of our Voimaperheet model. It has given us valuable insights into how we can best support mothers during their transition to parenthood," explains Anna-Lotta Aaltonen, Service Supervisor and Coordinator of the Voimaperheet initiative at our maternity and child health clinics.”

"We encourage as many families as possible to participate in Voimaperheet programs. Participants from our wellbeing services county help us gather local insights directly from our clients."

From April 9, we are introducing Lunna, a new digital platform alongside a centralized phone service for our entire wellbeing services county. Lunna offers a secure, user-friendly way to reach us through:

• Chat: Weekdays, 8:00–16:00
• Non-urgent messaging: Available 24/7, responses within three working days
• Callback requests: Weekdays, 9:00–12:00.

“If you’d like to speak with your familiar public health nurse, you can specifically request for them to contact you via chat, phone, or non-urgent messaging. The nurse will respond within three working days. Keeping the personal connection between clients and nurses is important to us,” says Weber.

In April, our health stations, maternity and child health clinics, dental services, and Senior Info will all introduce chat and non-urgent messaging services. In addition, school and student health services will adopt non-urgent messaging. The platform for joint digital services in the wellbeing services county will be introduced gradually.

You can access Lunna through our mobile app or at Lunna.fi(external link) in your web browser.