Homebirth midwives and peek-a-boo ultrasounds – private health services and their position in pregnancy care

Authors

• Marjaana Jones Tampereen yliopisto https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3012-7945
• Tuulia Lahtinen Tampere University https://orcid.org/0009-0000-4863-3390

DOI: https://doi.org/10.23990/sa.145049

Keywords:

marketing, pregnancy, private health services, maternity clinics

Abstract

The maternal health clinics play a central role in pregnancy care in Finland. These public clinics reach nearly all expectant parents. Unlike many other social and healthcare services, maternal clinics have not been privatised or opened to competition. The services are organised by the wellbeing services counties. However, a private pregnancy care market has emerged, offering some parents to opportunity to supplement public maternity services. The aim of this article is to examine 1) the types of services currently available to expectant parents and 2) how private service providers seek to position themselves as part of pregnancy care. Our data comes from the websites of private pregnancy service providers, which are used to communicate directly with parents. Our analysis provides an overview of the private services market, which reflects the diversity of needs and desires related to pregnancy care. Private services cover the entire country but are mainly located in larger cities. Through their websites, the services are positioned both as a supplement and an alternative to public services. They are marketed by highlighting the fears related to pregnancy and birth, and by emphasising the uniqueness of this time in the life of the parents. Professionals are depicted as experts who are knowledgeable and highly skilled. Additionally, their expertise is also partly constructed on their personal experiences. The professional-parents relationship was described as free from hierarchies. Parents are clearly positioned as consumer, who are both able and responsible for creating their own individual care pathway. Private pregnancy services can respond to unmet service needs and are marketed as an option for all expectant parents and families. However, financial resources are likely to determine parents' ability to purchase additional or alternative services.