Full fight for the midwife in the district:

Uma Haugen lies down on the bench at the midwife station in Seljord. The upcoming mother feels that the baby in her womb has been unusually quiet the last few days. Midwife Gry Malmberg takes an ultrasound probe over the pregnant woman's abdomen. – We hear a nice fetal heartbeat, and I have had two accelerations. That means she is fine, as far as I can judge, says Malmberg. Women from several Telemark municipalities come to the midwife station: Vinje, Tokke, Kviteseid, Fyresdal, Seljord, and Tinn. The women who have a travel distance of more than 90 minutes from their hometown to the hospital have a right to have a midwife available all day and to be taken in the car to the hospital. Such a follow-up and care service is legally established. Over 2000 birthing women travel to the hospital with a midwife in the car each year, according to a report from the Directorate of Health. Although many are satisfied with the offer in Seljord, more people believe that the area is too large and that it affects the safety of pregnant and birthing women in the district. There is particular disagreement about whether Tinn should be part of the arrangement or not. Fear for the safety of birthing women Deep disagreement about the organization means that midwives are now uncertain about their future. – I fear for the job. It is hard not to know if we will have work in a year, says Malmberg, looking away at her colleagues. Merete Kaste says that she is passionate about the profession. She also believes that they have the capacity to handle the area they have been given responsibility for. – It is difficult to think that a service that has worked so well for so many years can disappear, along with the safety of pregnant women in the area, says the midwife. Åse Versto Kringlegarden (Sp) is, however, among those who believe the distances are too large and that the hospital should change the arrangement. – I fear that a pregnant or birthing woman will not receive help in time. Åse Versto Kringlegarden Municipal representative for the Social Democratic Party Vinje municipality Believes the arrangement is reasonable The midwives in Seljord have since April of this year been responsible for an area that is almost 9000 square kilometers in size. The Telemark hospital has made risk assessments and believes it is reasonable. The head of the midwifery cooperation, Helene Mølster Byggland, says she trusts the assessments that have been made. – I have adhered to what the hospital has decided and believe that it has been assessed as professionally sound, says Byggland. She acknowledges that the area is large and a significant increase from before, but points out that it is not many births nonetheless. Figures from the municipalities show that there have been an average of 134 births per year over the last ten years. – We have good capacity in our service. Of course, one cannot know everything after half a year, but it says something. So far we have not received complaints, and we have received good feedback from the midwives, says the department head. For information, Byggland has resigned and is now working out her notice period. Hopes the hospital will change Åse Versto Kringlegarden (Sp) from Vinje believes the arrangement is not reasonable. She fears a situation where more birthing women need help at the same time and that because of the large distances, it takes too long for help to arrive. She is particularly worried about winters with icy roads and closed roads. – We cannot wait for the unexpected to happen and arrange for a preparedness that does not work when it really matters, she says. – We are being pressed into an organization that we do not believe is reasonable. I do not find it in. Tuesday last week, the SP politician presented a proposal that received a majority in the municipal council. NRK has been in contact with midwives who previously worked for the care service in Seljord, who support the decision. They do not want to comment on the matter. The mayor of Tokke municipality, Jarand Felland, also supports the decision and says he will support a similar proposal in his own municipality. – I think it is unfortunate that Tinn is part of the arrangement. There are too large distances and a poorer offer to the birthing women, he says. Jarand Felland (Sp) mayor, Tokke municipality No one hopes that the hospital will reintroduce a shared follow-up service. – No reason to be worried Tom Helge Rønning is the administrative director at Telemark Hospital. He reacts to Vinje leaving the agreement. – I am surprised and very disappointed about it. I believe the decision is based on wrong premises and does not take into account professional assessments. The director emphasizes that it is not relevant for the hospital to continue the agreement with Vinje as the host municipality when it goes into April. – Many are worried that more women need help at the same time. What procedures do you have for that? – There is no reason to be worried about simultaneous conflicts. The hospital handles this often and the risk here is low. We can send midwives from the hospital if needed. Will continue to fight Kringlegarden emphasizes that the politicians in Vinje have listened to the experts. – Experienced politicians and midwives with a background in the Norwegian Midwives Association, who have been involved in creating the guidelines for maternity care, as well as midwives who have worked in Tinn and West Telemark, she says. She adds that they will continue to fight for the midwife offers they believe are reasonable.