The researchers in the Imagine Euro network asked 21,000 women giving birth, of which almost 5,000 in Sweden, to fill in a survey during the pandemic's first year.
It turned out that 62 percent of them were not allowed to bring a selected person to the birth.
42 percent felt that they did not receive sufficient help with the pain work.
In total, the Swedes ranked their experience of maternity care highly.
Luxembourg and Norway were also high.
Croatia and Serbia were the worst off.
- We have good maternity care in Sweden, but there are still things to work with, says Karolina Lindén.
Feeling abused
Seven percent of Swedish women answered that they had been subjected to physical, verbal or mental abuse during their care.
Croatia was at its highest with 23.5 percent.
- Croatia is an example of horror, Sweden is the lowest of the countries surveyed but I think that seven percent is very high.
The consequence can in the worst case be post-traumatic stress that can persist for several years.
You may not want to give birth again.
One third of the Swedish women who gave birth with the help of a suction cup stated that they had not given their consent in connection with the procedure.
- This is something we need to look at further, but it is serious, being involved in one's own care is about the right to one's own body.
Communication must work even if emergency situations arise, she says.
Missing midwives
There are no midwives in 19 of 21 regions in Sweden.
During the autumn, midwives protested against working conditions in maternity care.
Although it may take time to recruit more, Karolina Lindén sees that things can be done already now.
- We know from work environment research that a good work environment requires a present manager, that you have time to talk to colleagues and that the ceiling is high.
There are things for management to do right away.
In the clip, Karolina Lindén lists three things that can improve maternity care.