Lycksele BB has been closed since December 2022 because there is a lack of midwives. Women who are about to give birth are instead referred to BB in Umeå or Skellefteå.
Andrea Johansson and Arnar Eriksson live in Storuman and have just over three hours to Umeå BB. When Andrea had contractions, it went quickly. The couple went to the emergency room in Lycksele.
38 degrees outside
But then they had to wait there. In Umeå, they were told that BB was full and because it was 38 degrees outside, the helicopter that was supposed to drive to Skellefteå could not take off.
Finally, Andrea was rushed to Umeå by ambulance. Arnar drove after the ambulance at 120/130 km/h.
– I feel upset that it took so long before we were allowed to leave. If we had been allowed to leave earlier, we would have had more time to gather ourselves.
“I was scared”
Andrea just managed to enter the delivery room in Umeå before the daughter was born.
– We managed to get in just enough. I was afraid that she would get on the road and that it would go badly, she says.
“Sad that it has to be like this”
Andrea has previously had a difficult birth. The child was then born by emergency section because the child had bad heart sounds.
– There must be a BB in Lycksele. It’s for safety. Anything can happen, there must be a functioning maternity care. It is sad that it has to be like this.
“Several agencies involved”
Malin Eriksson, deputy director of operations at the center for obstetrics and gynecology in Västerbotten, believes that they should have been better informed.
– In a stressful situation, the perception of time can be experienced differently. Several agencies were involved and according to our notes, they were on site at the emergency room for 30 minutes, says Malin Eriksson and continues:
– From our perspective, the contacts in the care flow have thought it through well, but we regret if they felt that they had to wait and that they did not know why, she says.