West-Pohja Central Hospital to close maternity services by year’s end, leaving families in Meri-Lappi anxious

The West-Pohja Central Hospital will discontinue maternity services, including childbirth and specialized care for women’s and children’s diseases, by the end of this year. The last expectant mothers will be admitted to the maternity ward on December 28th at 8 AM. Pia Wittaniemi, a chief physician in the area, assured that the current schedule enables safe childbirth and care for newborns during their first days.

Starting January 1, there will no longer be an on-call pediatrician at the hospital, prompting the need for advance planning. While maternity clinics in Kemi and Rovaniemi will continue operating, emergencies will require families to seek care elsewhere on weekends.

This uncertainty has left expectant families in the Meri-Lappi region anxious, as they have awaited clarifications on schedules and arrangements for months. Milena Pallas-Saksi, who is due to give birth to her third child on December 26th, expressed her distress over the lack of information, adding that she learned about the hospital’s situation from her hairdresser rather than official channels.

Iina Koskela, also expecting her third child in March, noted that families have been collecting fragmented information and still lack clarity regarding choices for deliveries, particularly for planned cesareans or inducing labor.

Conversely, Katja Hämeenojan, a medical director in Lapland, highlighted ongoing discussions about the transition and differences in the practices between the West-Pohja and Lapland hospitals. With staff training sessions scheduled, health visitors from the affected regions have yet to receive guidance on procedures for the upcoming changes. As the logistics become more complex with a new delivery location over 100 kilometers away, families are urged to consider the timing of their hospital visits during labor.