Well-being of families with babies – FinChildren survey 2020

Coronavirus epidemic has impaired the coping of families with babies – satisfaction with family life still high

The most common worries caused by the coronavirus epidemic in families with babies were related to childbirth and the time spent at the delivery hospital. The coronavirus epidemic and the related restrictive measures had increased feelings of loneliness among the parents who gave birth. A large share of the parents had kept less in touch with grandparents and friends. On the other hand, many families were spending more time together. The majority of the respondents found that the coronavirus epidemic had not affected feelings of intimacy between the spouses or increased disagreements.

Despite the challenges caused by the coronavirus epidemic, the majority of the parents in families with babies were satisfied with their life and with themselves as a parent, and found that the family's everyday life had been running smoothly after the baby was born.

For most parents, the pregnancy and delivery had gone at least as well as expected. On the other hand, 29 per cent of the parents who gave birth and just over a tenth of the other parents had experienced symptoms of depression during the pregnancy. After the baby was born, 15 per cent of the parents who had given birth had symptoms of depression, and a larger share than before (12%) felt lonely.

One third of both parents had symptoms of exhaustion, and the symptoms were serious for eight per cent of the parents who gave birth and five per cent of the other parents. One third of the parents who gave birth and one fifth of the other parents needed support related to their mood from the professionals in the services for families with children. Half of the parents who gave birth and one quarter of the other parents needed professional support for their own coping, while one fifth of the parents who gave birth who needed support were left without sufficient support from professionals.

Overall, two thirds of both parents considered the maternity clinic appointments customer-oriented; half of those who gave birth to the child and 61 per cent of the other parents found the child welfare clinic appointments customer-oriented. After the birth of the baby, experiencing the support by professionals as insufficient and support needs not expressed to professionals were slightly more common than during the pregnancy.

The results of the statistical report are based on the data collection carried out in 2020 in the FinChildren survey. The target group was the parents of babies aged between 3 and 6 months. In total, 8,977 parents who gave birth (response rate 50%) and 5,843 other parents (response rate 36%) responded to the survey.

Download the full statistical report

After the birth of the baby, the family’s everyday life has run smoothly in 93 per cent of the parents who gave birth and 94 per cent of the other parents. 35 per cent of the parents who had given birth and 29 per cent of the other parents had symptoms of exhaustion. Nearly half (48%) of the parents who gave birth and one in five (22%) of the other parents feel that the coronavirus epidemic has increased their feeling of loneliness. Overall, 68 per cent of the parents who gave birth and 63 per cent of the other parents considered the maternity clinic appointments as customer-oriented. Overall, 50 per cent of the parents who gave birth and 61 per cent of the other parents considered the child welfare clinic appointments as customer-oriented. — Figure. Parents’ welfare and experience of maternity and child health clinic services 2020, %.

Tables

Background information

Description of statistics

The results of the statistical report of the Well-being of families with babies – FinChildren 2020 survey are based on the data collection carried out in 2020 in the FinChildren survey. The examination concerns the parents of babies aged between 3 and 6 months. The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare implements the FinChildren survey.

The role of the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare is to follow the health and welfare of the population. The FinChildren survey implements this task for children under school age and their families. The data collection comprises the welfare, health and functional capacity and lifestyles of families with children, the safety of the growth environment as well as the need, availability and adequacy of services and support.

The information is collected with identification that is it includes the baby’s personal identity code. The data collected from parents will be connected to register data obtained using the child’s personal identity code. The used registers include the Medical Birth Register (children aged 3–6 months), register of health care notifications, the Register of Congenital Malformations (4-year-olds), child welfare register (4-year-olds) and Information on care allowances, purchases of pharmaceuticals and reimbursements for medicine expenses granted to the child by Kela and family leaves granted because of the child, and data concerning the child in the MyKanta service (entries made on the child in the MyKanta service).

The data can be utilised in the planning, implementation, assessment and reporting of welfare and health promotion activities for families with children as well as the planning, assessment and development of the services for families with children in municipalities, counties, and the national level. The results can also be used in the monitoring included in national steering and the assessment of political decisions.

In the future, the aim is to carry out data collection for babies and families of 4-year-olds once every four years, next time in 2024.