The decrease stands out compared with both the national figure and the rest of Västernorrland County, according to Ekot, which cited figures from Statistics Sweden.
There is definitely a connection, because we noticed this decline largely in connection with the maternity ward closure, municipal strategist Majed Safaee told Ekot.
Majed Safaee believes that many residents of the municipality are now refraining from having a second or third child.
Today, pregnant women must travel to Sundsvall or Örnsköldsvik to give birth; the journey takes about an hour and a half.
