Up to half of expectant mothers pay for private early ultrasounds

Nearly half of pregnant women in southeastern Finland are opting for private early ultrasound scans rather than waiting for the first public screening, according to midwives at Kymenlaakso Central Hospital.

Midwives Maria Lommi and Katja Tuhkanen, who perform screening ultrasounds at the hospital’s maternity clinic, estimate that about 50 percent of expectant mothers have already undergone a private ultrasound before their first public-sector scan. Public prenatal care in Finland includes two ultrasound screenings, the first typically scheduled between weeks 10 and 13 of pregnancy.

“People don’t want to wait that long—they want to know sooner whether the pregnancy is progressing well,” Lommi said.

Private clinics report growing demand for early ultrasounds, which can be performed as early as the seventh week of pregnancy to confirm the pregnancy’s location, detect a heartbeat, and determine gestational age and the number of fetuses. Lommi noted peak demand around Christmas and Midsummer, when many seek reassurance about their pregnancies.

Lommi and Tuhkanen, both clinical ultrasound nurses with additional training, began offering private scans nearly four years ago after observing patients traveling to Lahti or the Helsinki region for the service. While they can identify abnormalities, they are not authorized to make diagnoses and refer patients to obstetric specialists when needed.

Anna Hankaniemi of Lappeenranta chose a private ultrasound during her first pregnancy for personal reassurance, despite trusting public healthcare. “Even though the positive test was concrete, I wanted extra confirmation,” she said. The scan, performed by a midwife at a Kotka clinic, provided peace of mind but was not medically necessary.

Public health officials in Pirkanmaa, Kymenlaakso, and the Helsinki and Uusimaa Hospital District (HUS) confirm increased use of private ultrasound services, though exact figures are unavailable. The National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health (Valvira) also reports a rise in private providers offering such scans.