Maternity and child health clinic visits
What happens at the maternity clinic during pregnancy
The maternity clinic monitors the health and well-being of the pregnant person and the foetus with the aim of identifying possible risks during pregnancy.
In our wellbeing services county's digital services platform Lunna, you can fill out forms related to the clinic visit before the visit takes place. Register for Lunna straight away to get access to these forms.
After taking a positive pregnancy test, please contact the maternity clinic (neuvola) at pregnancy weeks 5–6. The first maternity clinic appointment is scheduled for pregnancy weeks 8–10.
With the pregnancy calculator(external link), you can find out your estimated due date and your current pregnancy weeks.
If the pregnancy is not desired, you can contact a unit that performs pregnancy terminations. Abortions | HUS(external link)
Booking an appointment:
Chat weekdays from 8:00 to 16:00 & non-urgent messages 24/7: Lunna(external link)
Callback service on weekdays from 9 am to 12 pm: 029 151 2400
The first visit to the maternity clinic is primarily carried out as a remote appointment in Lunna.
The visit will take place at the maternity clinic if you need an interpreter during the visit.
When booking an appointment, we will ask for the date of the first day of your last menstrual period, information about any previous pregnancies and deliveries, as well as your chronic illnesses and any medication you are taking.
Please fill in the following forms in Lunna before your first visit. You can find the forms in Lunna under My Information > Forms. They can also be printed out and brought with you to the clinic (Maternity Clinic forms).
• Maternity and child health clinics- Background information questionnaire for maternity clinics
• Maternity and child health clinics - Substance abuse screening form – your partner should also fill in their own screening form in their Lunna account if they will attend the visit
• Maternity and child health clinics - Tuberculosis screening for pregnant clients
Before a remote appointment, please measure your blood pressure and weight in advance. There are blood pressure monitors and scales in the clinic waiting area if you do not have your own.
Familiarize yourself with the early stages of pregnancy at Omaperhe.fi (external link). There you will find information on nutrition and exercise recommendations during pregnancy, which is useful to read before your visit. Note that during pregnancy, it is recommended to take Vitamin D 10 µg and folic acid 400 µg. More information can be found on the Finnish Food Authority’s website (Pregnant and breastfeeding mothers - Finnish Food Authority(external link)).
It is recommended to stop smoking and alcohol consumption already when planning a pregnancy. Avoid unnecessary medication during pregnancy. However, do not stop taking essential prescriptions. Check with your doctor at the beginning of pregnancy that your regular medication is safe for the fetus.
Prenatal diagnostics
You have the possibility to participate in prenatal diagnostics and early‑pregnancy ultrasound examinations, which are carried out at HUS units. The wellbeing services county offers a voluntary NIPT test to all pregnant clients who meet the criteria and wish to undergo the test.
Please familiarize yourself with the customer instructions Outpatient clinic appointments during pregnancy | HUS(external link) before the first visit.
The necessary referrals will be issued during the first visit. To book these appointments, you need to log in to the Maisa system (external link). You can only book appointments once you have received the referral, but you can log in to Maisa(external link) and get familiar with the system beforehand.
Your partner is welcome to join you for the maternity clinic visits.
Remember to bring an identity document to your appointment.
During the first visit, we will go through the pre‑information you have filled in. We will discuss your health, lifestyle habits, and any previous pregnancies and deliveries.
You will receive referrals for early‑pregnancy ultrasound examinations, blood and urine tests, and, if necessary, a glucose tolerance test.
Expectant families are offered the opportunity to participate in Family coaching courses.
If your pregnancy began through fertility treatment, please bring the relevant documents.
You can prepare for the extensive health examination already at home by discussing your relationship and family situation using the Everyday resources of expecting families form(external link) (in Finnish).
You have received the Yhdessä Vahvaksi and/or EPDS form at your first appointment. Please fill in the forms a few days before the appointment and bring them with you.
Physician’s appointment according to individual needs/if necessary.
During the visit, we will explain how to apply for Kela’s benefits(external link) and issue a pregnancy certificate, which is needed for applying for the benefits.
We will discuss the effects of pregnancy on your health with you and map out any fears related to childbirth. Read more Health Village: Fear of childbirth(external link) (in Finnish).
If necessary, we will refer you to a glucose tolerance test to monitor potential development of gestational diabetes. The glucose tolerance test is performed during pregnancy weeks 24–28. You should make an appointment with the laboratory(external link) immediately after the visit. Pregnant people with the blood group RhD negative will be referred to a foetal RhD factor test.
THL recommends a pertussis vaccine for all pregnant people. We will administer the vaccine at this visit. Vaccinating the mother will protect the unborn child from pertussis.
Discussing the effects of pregnancy on the condition of the pregnant person and the family.
Discussing childbirth, parenthood, early interaction, breastfeeding and other matters related to a daily life with a baby, among other things.
If necessary, pregnant people with the blood group RhD negative will receive Rho(D) immune globulin protection at this visit if the foetus and the mother have different blood groups.
Recognising parenthood(external link) (page in Finnish) is possible at this visit if the parents are not married to each other.
A physician’s health examination focusing on the pregnant person’s physical and mental condition and matters related to childbirth. The presentation of the foetus is also checked during this visit.
You will visit a public health nurse at least every two weeks during these weeks of pregnancy. The topics of these visits include preparing for childbirth and breastfeeding as well as going to the hospital and, if necessary, postmaturity monitoring.
Contact details of the Maternity Outpatient Clinic in the HUS Jorvi Hospital(external link)
Contact details of the Maternity Outpatient Clinic in the HUS Women’s Hospital(external link)
Contact details of the Maternity Outpatient Clinic in the HUS Hyvinkää Hospital(external link)
Emergency services during pregnancy and labour and phone services(external link)
All families have the opportunity to book additional appointments during the pregnancy.
Additional appointments and any other necessary support will be planned according to the family’s individual needs and life situation.
What happens at the child health clinic after the baby is born and during early childhood?
The child health clinic monitors and promotes the growth and development of a preschool-age child and supports parenthood. Matters related to the family’s health, wellbeing and parenthood are discussed at the appointments. At the child health clinic, children also receive vaccinations in accordance with the national vaccination programme.
In our wellbeing services county's digital services platform Lunna, you can fill out forms related to the clinic visit before the visit takes place. Register for Lunna straight away to get access to these forms.
Contact the child health clinic as soon as possible after the baby is born, already before you return home from the maternity hospital. During the initial contact, you will be asked about how the birth went, how the family and the baby are doing and what the baby’s birth details are.
Tell us also if more visits to hospital have been scheduled for you (or a midwife will visit you at home). Efforts are made to offer a home visit to families having their first baby, while mothers with previous children and their families have an appointment at the child health clinic.
The first visit usually takes place within a week from your discharge from hospital. During the visit, the birth experience is discussed as well as how the mother and the family are doing after the birth. During the visit, the baby's health and growth are observed and the family is guided and supported with breastfeeding and the care of the baby according to their needs.
Here, you will find information and support for the first year of the baby’s life. The pages contain information about the baby’s growth and development, food and sleep as well as instructions for when the baby is sick.
During the appointment, we will discuss matters related to the baby’s care and nutrition according to the family’s needs and support interaction between the parent and the baby. We will also discuss parenthood and pay attention to the mother’s health and recovery from giving birth.
The first doctor’s examination at the child health clinic supplements the doctor's examination that took place in the maternity hospital. During the visit, we will observe the child's growth and development and discuss matters related to everyday life with a baby according to the family's need. .
In addition to matters related to everyday life with a baby, we will also discuss the parents' mood and coping. The EPDS questionnaire is used as a basis for the discussion.
Questionnaire on mood for identifying postnatal depression (EPDS) (form in Finnish)(external link)
Start of vaccinations in accordance with the national vaccination programme.
THL: Vaccination programme for children and young people(external link)
The visit is part of an extensive health examination. In the extensive health examination, we will discuss factors that affect the wellbeing and health of the child and the whole family, and the examination includes meetings with both a public health nurse and a doctor.
Prepare for the examination at home in advance by discussing the family’s resources and health habits with the help of the resources form Everyday resources for families with a newborn baby(external link) and by completing the child health clinic’s substance screening form that you will find in Lunna.
A doctor’s appointment will take place when the child is 4 months old.
National vaccination programme: THL: Vaccination programme for children and young people(external link)
During the visit, we will track the child’s growth and development and take into account possible vaccinations. We will discuss matters concerning everyday life with a baby according to the family’s need.
We will discuss matters such as the child’s nutrition, continuing breastfeeding, how the family is doing and other matters important to the family.
National vaccination programme: THL: Vaccination programme for children and young people(external link)
The topics of discussion include getting used to solid foods, sleeping, the child’s motor development and mobility, safety at home and oral healthcare.
Oral healthcare of a 0–3-year-old (link in Finnish)(external link)
During the visit, we will track the child’s growth and development and take into account possible vaccinations. We will discuss matters concerning everyday life with a baby according to the family's need.
On these pages, you will find information about the growth and development of a toddler and a preschool-age child and tips for supporting the child’s wellbeing.
We will discuss interaction, the child’s linguistic and motor development, nutrition and daily rhythm.
National vaccination programme: THL: Vaccination programme for children and young people(external link)
Children are invited to an oral health examination in oral healthcare services at the ages of 1, 3 and 5 years.
Fill in the preliminary information form for an 18-month-old in Lunna well before the appointment.
We also ask the parents to fill in the child health clinic’s substance screening form in Lunna.
In addition to tracking the growth and development, the examination also includes discussing matters brought up by the parents. The main themes are the strong development of the child’s learning and own will, and speech development.
National vaccination programme: THL: Vaccination programme for children and young people(external link)
Fill in the preliminary information form for a 2-year-old in Lunna well before the appointment. During the visit, we will discuss matters brought up by the parents and about the child’s speech development, age-appropriate development of own will, and toilet training.
Fill in the preliminary information form for a 3-year-old in Lunna well before the appointment. During the visit, we will track the child’s growth and development and examine the child’s near vision. During the visit, we will discuss matters brought up by the parents.
Children are invited to an oral health examination in oral healthcare services at the ages of 1, 3 and 5 years.
The family will be told about the extensive health examination of a 4-year-old.
Before the appointment at the child health clinic, the parents of a child in early childhood education and care have an early childhood education and care discussion at the daycare centre, from where a summary will be sent for information to the child health clinic with the parents’ permission.
Prepare for the visit by filling in the preliminary information form and the substance screening form for the parents in Lunna well before the appointment.
When you come to the appointment, bring the completed Voimaperheet (“Empowered Families”) questionnaire that was posted to your home address.
During the visit, we will track the child’s growth and development, examine the near and far vision, and measure the blood pressure. For some of the time, the child will stay alone with the public health nurse doing various tasks suitable for the child's development stage.
National vaccination programme: THL: Vaccination programme for children and young people(external link)
In addition to the examination carried out by the doctor, we will go back to matters that came up at the nurse’s appointment.
A summary of the extensive health examination will be sent back to early childhood education and care with the parents’ permission.
Fill in the preliminary information form for a 5-year-old in Lunna well before the appointment. During the appointment, we will track the child's growth and development and examine the child’s hearing. We will discuss matters that the parents have brought up in the preliminary information form.
Children are invited to an oral health examination in oral healthcare services at the ages of 1, 3 and 5 years.
Fill in the preliminary information form for a 6-year-old in Lunna well before the appointment. During the appointment, we will track the child's growth and development and discuss matters that the parents have brought up in the preliminary information form.
National vaccination programme: THL: Vaccination programme for children and young people(external link)
The public health nurse will record a short summary of the child's growth and development during the client relationship at the clinic in the child’s health records for school healthcare. The next health examination will be the school entry health examination in school healthcare before or during the first grade.
All families can have additional appointments as needed. Additional appointments and any other necessary support will be planned according to the family’s individual needs and life situation.