According to the Swedish Midwifery Association and several midwives that SVT has been in contact with, home births and interest in them is increasing.

- There is an increased interest in giving birth at home in Stockholm, Gothenburg, Norrland and also a tendency in Skåne. Last morning, a woman called who wanted help finding a midwife exactly where she was, says Eva Nordlund, chairman of the Swedish Midwifery Association.

The reason is that several hospitals under the corona do not allow more than one person to follow during the birth. That person must also not have symptoms.

Midwife fully booked

Midwife Agneta Bergenheim is fully booked all year round with four births a month against usually one. Other midwives she has contact with also testify to an increase of up to one hundred percent.

- I had a couple where the man was allergic and thus was stuffy. Then the birth thought it was corona and he was not allowed to come along, says Agneta Bergenheim, a midwife who has worked with home births for 20 years.

Is it not better to be close to a hospital if there is a situation for an emergency operation?

- In that case, maybe it's better, but it's very, very unusual. I am there all the time for the woman and I can monitor her all the time and keep an eye on the heart sounds so I know if there is anything abnormal. And then you go in, says Agneta Bergenheim.

"May say no to people"

The midwifery team in Gothenburg has also noticed the growing interest. From helping 11 women in total in Gothenburg last year, they have already helped 20 this year and they have 20 more planned.

- We have to say no to people because we do not have the opportunity. This is because it has become more stressful during the birth and because the women are worried because of the corona, says Johanna Sedeborn, coordinator of the Midwifery Team.

The Swedish Midwifery Association is both a trade union and a professional association and they believe that there is a need for organized home birth care in Sweden.

- Several other countries have come much further than us, for example Norway and Denmark. We need a functioning collaboration, says Eva Nordlund.