__Demands, worries, and doubts affect pregnant women and the decision to have children. More than one in three women report that their mental health is worse during pregnancy compared to before. Among those who already have children, the number is as high as 40 percent. This is revealed in Preglife’s new report Gravidbarometern 2025, the largest of its kind. First-time mothers express the greatest hesitation about starting a family, and for half of all women, personal finances have played a decisive role in the decision to have children. The survey was conducted in collaboration with Verian (formerly Sifo samhällsundersökningar).__

Preglife’s annual report Gravidbarometern, carried out in collaboration with Verian, provides a broad overview of what it is like to be pregnant in Sweden today. The survey behind the report is based on responses from more than 2,500 pregnant women. To better understand how pregnant women view the decision to have children in relation to the wider population, questions about the declining birth rate were also answered by more than 1,000 people from the general public.

__Social media can negatively affect the pregnancy experience__

The report shows that 34 percent of women feel worse mentally during pregnancy compared to before. Among women who already have children, the figure is 40 percent. Nearly half of those experiencing poorer mental health say that pregnancy does not match the idealized image they see on social media, which can negatively affect their own experience. Just over one in five feel mentally better during pregnancy than before.

Half of the women say they are fully satisfied with the support they receive during pregnancy. At the same time, two in five report that they only partially feel they get the support they need. The survey also shows that nearly all women believe that the expectations placed on new parents today are higher than when their own parents had children.

> “For many women, pregnancy is part of an already pressured life, with demands from multiple directions and little room for error. Even when support is perceived as adequate, factors such as expectations, comparisons, and uncertainty about what lies ahead can lead to feelings of inadequacy before the child is even born,” says Åsa Holstein, Head Midwife and Deputy CEO of Preglife.

Three out of four women worry about childbirth, and six percent experience intense fear of giving birth.

__Pregnant women also hesitate – lack of desire for children is the most common reason__

Almost all women feel that there is strong social pressure to have children. Thirty percent of first-time mothers say that the decision to have children was not self-evident. The most common reason for hesitation is that many did not have a clear desire to become parents. The survey also shows that confidence in the future plays a role, with 31 percent stating that they have a negative outlook. Other reasons include feeling inadequate in the parental role and that having children has not felt natural.

> “Today, the decision to have children is often seen as one choice among many, weighed against other aspects of life. To understand why more people are opting out of parenthood, we also need to understand what pregnancy actually entails—physically, mentally, practically, and socially. That knowledge is essential for support to be targeted correctly and to help more people manage, dare, and want to become parents,” says Åsa Holstein, Head Midwife and Deputy CEO of Preglife.

Proposals for measures that could encourage more people to have children include increased financial support for families with children, more flexible parental leave, and workplaces that are better adapted to parenthood.

__About Gravidbarometern__

Gravidbarometern is an annual report providing a broad overview of what it is like to be pregnant in Sweden. The report is produced by Preglife, Scandinavia’s leading app for pregnant women and new parents, in collaboration with Verian (formerly Sifo samhällsundersökningar).
The underlying survey covers factors such as mental health, perceived expectations, social media, economy, career, and access to information, advice, and support. It also includes questions about vaccination and preferred place of birth.

This year’s theme highlights the declining birth rate, exploring whether the decision to have children was self-evident or not—and the reasons behind it. The survey also examines whether there is a perceived social expectation to have children, and what could make more people want to become parents. One of the questions allowed participants to give open-ended suggestions to policymakers on what measures they believe could help reverse the trend.

More than 2,500 pregnant women randomly selected from Preglife’s user base participated in the survey, making it the largest of its kind in Sweden. Nine out of ten pregnant women in Sweden use Preglife’s app during pregnancy, ensuring a strong representativity.

Verian has quality-assured the results by comparing demographic data from participants with a random sample of pregnant women in the Sifo panel. The comparison showed no systematic bias in the sample, making it possible to draw general conclusions about pregnant women in Sweden – giving the results particular significance.

To compare pregnant women’s views on the decision to have children with the general population, the questions about the declining birth rate were also answered by a control group of over 1,000 people (aged 18–84) in the Sifo panel.

> “The survey is unique in that it highlights a group rarely represented in traditional quantitative research—women who are expecting a child. Even though this group is often discussed in public debate, it is unusual for them to be included in statistically reliable surveys. This is because pregnant women make up a very small share of the population (around 1 percent), which makes it methodologically challenging and resource-intensive to gather a sufficiently large sample,” says Matz Elzén, Client Director at Verian.

The hope is that the report will contribute to a deeper understanding of what influences both the pregnancy experience and the decision to have children—and, in the long run, the birth rate itself.

__Key figures from the report:__

- 34 percent say their mental health is worse during pregnancy compared to before. Among those who already have one or more children, the figure is 40 percent. 16 percent say they feel somewhat better, and 7 percent much better.

- 52 percent feel they receive sufficient support and advice during pregnancy. 41 percent feel they only partially receive sufficient support and advice.

- 83 percent say they believe the expectations on new parents today are higher than when their own parents had children. Women with lower education and income are more likely to feel the expectations are much higher compared to those with higher education and income.

- 35 percent report that their own experience of pregnancy sometimes or often does not “live up to” the image they see on social media. Among women who experience poorer mental health during pregnancy, nearly half (48 percent) say their own pregnancy does not match the picture they see on social media.

- 92 percent feel that there is a social expectation to have children. This perception is slightly more common among high-income earners.

- 30 percent of first-time mothers say the decision to have children was not self-evident. Among the general public, the figure is 14 percent.

- Reasons why the decision was not self-evident include: no desire for children (42 percent), negative outlook on the future (31 percent), doubting their ability to be the parent a child would need (20 percent), and that it did not feel natural (10 percent).

- One in two pregnant women say personal finances influenced their decision to have children. Among the general population, the figure is 29 percent.

- Three out of four pregnant women say they feel fear of childbirth—ranging from mild to severe. The main worries are that something might happen to the baby, as well as fear of pain.

[Read the full report in English here.](https://assets.ctfassets.net/6czy6b8c3a34/5ihdWtcpSkJ6xSVcnWUE3Q/1c0a558071bab1924149b78c504be363/Gravidbarometern_2025_-_ENG.pdf)


Demands, worries, and doubts affect pregnant women and the decision to have children. More than one ...

New Sifo Report: More than one in three pregnant women experience poorer mental health than before pregnancy – personal finances affect the decision to have children

Gravidbarometern2025

Preglife AB, the leading provider of pregnancy and infant development information and support, is proud to announce the acquisition of Babygruppen AB, Swedish leading provider of birth preparation and parenting courses.

Preglife, a trusted source of information for parents in Northern Europe, has been providing expectant and new parents with a comprehensive, all-in-one pregnancy and baby tracking app since 2010. The app is designed to empower families with fact-based, expert-created information throughout their pregnancy journey and early child development. It helps families track their pregnancy, establish early attachment and stronger bonds, and be equipped for every challenge from birth to birthdays.

The acquisition of Babygruppen will bring together the expertise and resources of both companies to provide families with even more comprehensive and accessible support throughout their pregnancy journey and early child development. Babygruppen, since 2006, has been providing expectant parents with valuable knowledge via interactive webinars and courses to make them feel secure, regardless of whether they are expecting a child or are a new parent. This will enable Preglife to provide an even better experience for its users, making it a one-stop-shop for expectant and new parents.

As part of the acquisition, Babygruppen’s owner and CEO Åsa Holstein will join Preglife as Chief Operating Officer. Holstein, a midwife with over 17 years of experience in childbirth, postpartum care, and neonatal care, will bring her expertise and passion for empowering families to Preglife's leadership team.

"I am thrilled to join the Preglife team and to be able to continue my mission of providing expectant and new parents with the knowledge and support they need to make informed choices and feel secure in their journey," said Holstein. "Together, we can empower even more families to give their children a brighter future."

Preglife CEO Tobias Meschke stated, "We are excited to welcome Babygruppen and Åsa to the Preglife family. With their expertise and passion for empowering families, we are confident that this acquisition will enable us to provide an even better experience for our users and to make an even greater impact on society. We are proud to be a trusted source of information for parents in Northern Europe and this acquisition will enable us to reach more parents and provide them with the support they need during this important time in their lives."

For more information, please contact Preglife AB at __press@preglife.com__.

Preglife AB, the leading provider of pregnancy and infant development information and support, is pr...

Preglife AB Expands Reach with Acquisition of Babygruppen AB

Mama Mia Förlossningskurs

*Stockholm, Sweden — April, 2024*

Announcing the winner of The Preglife Award 2024: Pernilla Hugosson, musical therapist at Sachsska Barnsjukhuset’s Neonatal Ward Stockholm, in recognition of her important work with implementing research findings in music therapy and her sincere dedication in providing support to premature infants and their parents.

“Being a parent to a child in the neonatal ward means diving into a whirlwind of worries, surrounded by beeps and alarms that sound like they belong in a sci-fi movie. It's a place where uncertainty mixes with the strangest-looking cords and tubes, all leading to your precious little one. But then Pernilla walks in, bringing with her not only music, but also these incredible pockets of peace and tranquility. Her melodies work like magic, drowning out the noise of the machines. Suddenly, there's space for families to come together, take a deep breath, and let their shoulders relax. It's these moments that give them the strength to keep going, to keep fighting, and most importantly, to bond with their newborn.” - Erik Borgström, Pediatrician/Senior Consultant in Neonatology

Preglife is committed to supporting projects that prioritise attachment, bonding, and seamless transitions into early parenthood. These pillars also serve as the foundation for our nomination.

“This year’s award celebrates the theme of attachment, shining the spotlight to the important role of music therapy in stimulating deepened connections between premature babies and their parents within a neonatal unit." - Preglife Medical Board

To achieve an optimal neonatal care environment for preterm-born infants, many early interventions have been developed. Musical interventions developed for neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) have shown beneficial effects on vital functions and weight gain of preterm infants and might also influence basic auditory processing and thereby enhance outcomes.


Announcing the winner of The Preglife Award 2024: Pernilla Hugosson, musical therapist at Sachsska B...

Announcing the winner of the Preglife Awards 2024

kelly-sikkema-V106bb1a9BY-unsplash

*Stockholm, Sweden — November 2, 2023*

As part of advancing women’s health and promoting safer pregnancies, Preglife and Mama Mia are entering an exclusive partnership. The collaboration brings together the accessibility of technology with the invaluable reassurance of personal meetings with a midwife. In the Preglife app, users can now find a dedicated section with information about midwife visits across different stages of pregnancy, along with helpful insights to know before and after each appointment.

"Knowledge empowers expectant parents to make informed choices that suit their individual needs. This increases the chances of a positive experience during childbirth and early parenthood."
 — Åsa Holstein, Midwife and COO, Preglife.

Through this collaboration, Preglife becomes a recommended partner of Mama Mia, allowing expectant parents to track their pregnancy and their baby’s development directly on their phone. The partnership bridges the gap between in-person healthcare visits and digital access to information, placing even greater focus on supporting the pregnant individual.

As a next step, Preglife and Mama Mia will offer free childbirth education lectures in Stockholm to everyone registered with Mama Mia, with plans to expand to all cities in Sweden where Mama Mia operates. These lectures offer expectant parents the opportunity to prepare for birth together with an experienced midwife.

"The collaboration with Preglife gives us another opportunity to provide guidance on the journey to parenthood, something we at Mama Mia are deeply passionate about."
 — Lotta Andreasson Edman, Care and Operations Developer, Mama Mia.

__For more information, please contact:__
Åsa Holstein
COO & Chief Midwife
+46 76 050 54 70
asa.holstein@preglife.com

__About Preglife:__
Preglife is one of the world’s largest and most popular pregnancy apps, providing an easy and engaging way to follow pregnancy and child development week by week — up to two years after birth. Through articles, podcasts, videos, and more, Preglife offers trusted information. The company collaborates with an international network of midwives, doctors, and other experts, such as physiotherapists and sleep coaches, to ensure that its content is fact-checked and updated according to the latest research.

__About Mama Mia:__
Mama Mia is Scandinavia’s largest private provider of child healthcare and sexual and reproductive health services. Its operations include midwifery clinics, pregnancy care, and breastfeeding support. Through continuous education and strong knowledge sharing, Mama Mia is committed to ensuring sustainable patient safety.


As part of advancing women’s health and promoting safer pregnancies, Preglife and Mama Mia are enter...

Preglife and Mama Mia form partnership for safer pregnancy and parenthood

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