Private maternity clinic
At Aava, we want to be by your side throughout your pregnancy – individually, with warmth and expertise. Maternity clinic visits are an important part of following up your pregnancy and they help ensure your and your baby’s wellbeing. Our private maternity clinic serves you and your family at every stage of your pregnancy.
- What is a maternity clinic?
- When should I contact the maternity clinic?
- Maternity clinic visits during a pregnancy
- Pregnancy follow-up at a doctor’s appointment
- Typical maternity clinic visits per pregnancy week
- Private or public maternity clinic – what is the difference?
- Pricing of maternity clinics at Aava
- Why choose Aava’s maternity clinic?
- Frequently asked questions FAQ
- Book an appointment at Aava’s maternity clinic
- Sources
What is a maternity clinic?
The maternity clinic is a basic prenatal health care service designed to monitor the condition of the expectant mother and the foetus from the beginning of the pregnancy to the birth. In Finland, maternity clinics are part of the national health care system, and their aim is to ensure that pregnancies are as healthy as possible and to identify possible risk factors well in advance.
Maternity clinic visits include health check-ups, blood tests, monitoring of blood pressure and weight, and discussions about pregnancy, childbirth and parenting.
For us at Aava, maternity clinic is not just routine check-ups – it is holistic care, where every expectant family is met as individuals.
Maternity clinic services can be obtained either from the municipal sector or a private service provider, such as Aava. Both follow the same national recommendations for monitoring the pregnancy.
When should I contact the maternity clinic?
One of the most frequently asked questions is when to contact the maternity clinic. We recommend booking the first appointment as soon as you have gotten a positive result from a pregnancy test. The earlier you contact us, the better we can support you in the early stages of pregnancy and take any special needs into consideration from the start.
During the first visit, we will comprehensively review your physical condition, previous medical history and possible risk factors related to pregnancy. This visit is often longer than the subsequent follow-up visits, as this visit is used to lay the foundation for the follow-up throughout the pregnancy.
If the pregnancy progresses without any symptoms of particular concerns, the next visits will be scheduled according to a schedule tailored to you. If you experience worrying symptoms, such as severe pain or bleeding during pregnancy, you should contact your maternity clinic or attending physician immediately – we never want you to be left alone with your concerns.
Maternity clinic visits during pregnancy
Typically, there are about 8-15 maternity clinic visits throughout the pregnancy, depending on how the pregnancy progresses and any additional examination needs. The visits are more frequent towards the end of pregnancy, to allow for closer monitoring.
Factors that are regularly monitored at maternity clinic visits include:
- Blood pressure and weight gain
- urine protein and sugar content
- foetal growth and heart sounds
- the mother’s overall condition and possible pregnancy symptoms
- mental wellbeing and coping
The visits are carried out in cooperation with a midwife and, if necessary, a specialist in gynaecology and obstetrics. For us at Aava, it is important that you have enough time at each visit to discuss the things that worry you – whether that is physical symptoms, fear of childbirth or coping with daily life.
Pregnancy follow-up at a doctor’s appointment
Maternity clinic visits also include more detailed examinations carried out by a doctor to ensure the health and development of the foetus. These include ultrasound examinations and foetal screening.
Ultrasound examinations are usually done 2-3 times during pregnancy:
- Early pregnancy ultrasound at weeks 7-9: If the expectant mother wishes to have peace of mind before the ultrasound examination on week 11+0-13+6, she can come for an early pregnancy ultrasound to check the correct location of the pregnancy and find out if she has twins or other multiple pregnancies. Bleeding, pain or a suspicion of ectopic pregnancy are also grounds for an early pregnancy ultrasound.
- Ultrasound performed at weeks 11+0 to 13+6 to assess the duration of pregnancy and the development of the foetus. Usually, either a NIPT test or a so-called combination screening is carried out in connection with this, so-called “nuchal translucency” ultrasound examination. Aava recommends the NIPT test as the primary means of screening.
- Structural ultrasound performed during pregnancy weeks 18+0-21+6 to examine the development of the foetus’ organs and other structures.
Foetal screening is intended for all pregnant women and aims to assess the risk of possible foetal abnormalities, such as Down syndrome. It is important to remember that screening is always voluntary and the decision to do so is always up to the family.
In addition to the aforementioned ultrasound examinations, any other possible doctor’s appointments at the Aava Medical Centre maternity clinic always include an ultrasound examination.
In addition, regular laboratory tests are taken during pregnancy, such as blood count, iron deficiency monitoring, a sugar stress test to rule out gestational diabetes as well as infection screening, if necessary. These tests allow us to react to any changes well in advance and support you in the best possible way throughout your pregnancy.
Typical maternity clinic visits per pregnancy week
See below.
Early pregnancy ultrasound 7-9
You can seek early ultrasound examination if you want peace of mind even before the ultrasound appointment during weeks 11-13. Early pregnancy ultrasound is always recommended if there is bleeding, pain or if there is a risk or suspicion of an ectopic pregnancy during early pregnancy. At Aava Medical Centre, an ultrasound scan of an early pregnancy is always performed by a specialist.
First maternity health clinic visit pregnancy week 8-10
During the first maternity health clinic visit, a midwife will survey your health and plan follow-up of the pregnancy. Important things to consider include vaccinations and oral health.
This is also when you will receive a referral for important early pregnancy blood tests in order to determine the mother’s blood type and screen for HIV, syphilis and hepatitis B. In addition, blood iron levels and any deficiencies will be determined.
Influenza vaccination is recommended for pregnant women and can be taken at any stage of pregnancy.
If necessary, the midwife can also refer you to pelvic floor physiotherapy, for example.
Ultrasound examination + nuchal translucency + NIPT pregnancy week 11+0-13+6
The examinations carried out between pregnancy weeks 11+0 and 13+6 include an ultrasound examination by a doctor, nuchal translucency measurement and the NIPT test, which is the safest of the screens and most reliable in finding chromosomal abnormalities in the foetus. Book an appointment by calling +358 (0)50 414 6704 or emailing [email protected].
Midwife’s appointment pregnancy week 13-18
Pregnancy weeks 13–18 include a comprehensive check-up by a midwife, referral to the first oral test for hyperglycemia, if necessary, and possible gestational diabetes counselling.
During the appointment, the midwife will assess factors that affect the wellbeing and health of the child to be born. At the same time, the parents’ wellbeing, health and health habits as well as the child’s growth environment are assessed.
It is recommended to take the pertussis vaccine (dtap) on week 16 of pregnancy or later, in accordance with the Finnish national vaccination programme. A vaccine given during pregnancy protects a newborn from severe pertussis during the first few months of life before the baby receives their first own vaccination.
Structural ultrasound weeks 18-21 and medical examination
Examinations between weeks 18+0 and 21+6 of pregnancy include the structural ultrasound and a doctor’s examination. In some of our locations, the structural ultrasound can be performed with a 3d/4d ultrasound. Book an appointment by calling or emailing [email protected].
Midwife’s examination weeks 22–24
During weeks 22–24 of pregnancy, a midwife carries out at an examination at an appointment and, if necessary, provides a referral to a second hyperglycemia test.
Starting on week 24 of pregnancy, it is also possible to get the RSV vaccination (not included in the Finnish national vaccination programme). A vaccine given to the mother protects the newborn baby from serious respiratory syncytial virus until about 6 months of age. If the mother has received the vaccine during pregnancy, the baby no longer needs an antibody injection, which would otherwise be given after birth.
Visits as needed weeks 25-34
If the mother’s blood group is RhD-negative on the basis of a previous examination, the foetus’s blood group is examined from the mother’s blood sample during weeks 24-26 of pregnancy. If the foetus’s blood group is RhD-positive, the mother is given an injection of Anti-D immunoglobulin at week 28–30 of pregnancy to protect the foetus and the newborn against hemolytic disease [1].
The pertussis vaccine (dtap) in accordance to the Finnish national vaccination programme must be taken by week 32 of pregnancy.
During weeks 25-34 of pregnancy, a follow-up ultrasound examination can also be carried out, if necessary. You will also have access to all of our other pregnancy-related services, such as a pregnancy psychologist and sex therapist.
Late pregnancy follow-up visit weeks 35-36
During a follow-up visit towards the end of the pregnancy, a doctor performs an ultrasound examination and a birth method assessment, meaning an assessment of whether the baby can be delivered vaginally.
The RSV vaccination must be taken by week 36 of pregnancy. The vaccine for pregnant women is not included in the Finnish national vaccination programme, but it can administered at Aava’s maternity health clinic.
Preparing for childbirth weeks 37-41+
During late pregnancy, you prepare for the arrival of your baby. Among other things, our midwives offer childbirth coaching and Getting to know your baby appointments for the whole family and help with fear of childbirth, for example.
If you suspect that your water has broken, you can have an amniocentesis test carried out at the midwife’s appointment to confirm this.
After childbirth: Midwife check-up & post-partum examination
The midwife’s check-up can also be carried out as a home visit within approximately one week of discharge. The postpartum examination is carried out by a doctor 5–12 weeks after the birth. We also strongly recommend a postpartum follow-up examination by a physiotherapist.
Private or public maternity clinic – what is the difference?
Many expectant parents wonder whether to choose the municipal or a private maternity clinic. Both follow the same national recommendations for pregnancy follow-up, but there are differences in practical implementation.
| Property | Public maternity clinic | Private maternity clinic (Aava) |
| Appointment booking | Often longer waiting times | Fast and flexible appointment booking |
| Care relationship | Changing personnel | Opportunity to keep the same doctor/midwife |
| Visit duration | Often tighter schedule | More time for discussion and questions |
| Additional examinations | Referral to specialised health care, if necessary | Opportunity to carry out more extensive examinations in the same location |
| Costs | Free of charge or small customer fee | Private pricing, possibility to utilise insurance |
A private maternity clinic is particularly suitable for those who value flexibility, quick appointment booking and the opportunity to build a confidential care relationship with the same specialist throughout their pregnancy.
At Aava, you can combine maternity clinic appointments and more extensive pregnancy monitoring with a doctor’s appointment into a seamless package.
Pricing of maternity clinics at Aava
The costs of a private maternity clinic consist of visit fees and any additional examinations, such as ultrasound and laboratory tests.
You can find an up-to-date and accurate price list for all our maternity clinic services conveniently in our price list. We recommend checking the prices in advance to make planning your pregnancy follow-up as easy as possible.
Why choose Aava’s maternity clinic?
For us, every pregnancy is unique, and we want you to feel heard and safe throughout the journey. At Aava’s maternity clinic, you will be treated by experienced midwives and specialists in gynaecology and obstetrics, who together form a strong network of experts for monitoring your pregnancy.
We offer you:
- fast appointment booking without long wait times
- the possibility of building a continuous care relationship with the same specialist throughout the pregnancy or alternatively supplementary individual services alongside the public maternity clinic
- extensive examination opportunities under one roof
- a warm and individualised encounter at each visit
- if necessary, seamless cooperation with other specialities, such as obstetrics or psychology specialists
We want to be more than just a service provider – we are your partner in supporting your wellbeing during pregnancy.
Frequently asked questions FAQ
When should I contact the maternity clinic?
We recommend contacting the maternity clinic as soon as the pregnancy test is positive. This allows the first appointment and pregnancy follow-up to start on time.
What does a maternity clinic mean?
The maternity clinic is a pregnancy health care service aimed at monitoring the health of the expectant mother and foetus and supporting the wellbeing of the entire family from the beginning of pregnancy all the way to childbirth.
What happens at the maternity clinic?
Maternity clinic visits include monitoring blood pressure, weight gain, foetal growth and heart sounds, and discussing matters related to pregnancy and parenthood. Maternity clinic services include ultrasound and laboratory examinations as well as foetal screening.
When is the first maternity clinic appointment?
The first maternity clinic visit is typically scheduled for week 8-12 of pregnancy. During the visit, the situation at the start of pregnancy is assessed comprehensively and future follow-up is planned individually.
Book an appointment at Aava’s maternity clinic
Want to start monitoring your pregnancy with peace of mind?You can book an appointment at Aava’s maternity clinic easily through our online booking service at aava.fi/en/ajanvaraus or by calling our customer service. We are here for you – throughout your pregnancy journey.
You can call or leave a callback request by text message to a nurse at Aava Pregnancy Clinic at +358 50 414 6704. We will respond to call-back requests by the next business day at the latest.
Please note that the midwife’s:
- first appointment is 60 minutes
- follow-up appointments are 30-60 minutes
- we recommend 1.5 hours for childbirth coaching
Sources
- Blood service – Anti-D Prophylaxis for Rhd Negative Mothers: https://www.veripalvelu.fi/app/uploads/2023/03/rhd-negatiivisten-aitien-suojaus-en.pdf
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