When to call the birth unit, and when to go

At Landspítali the advice is to phone the labour ward (fæðingarvakt, 543 3049) before you set off, and also when you are unsure whether it is time to come. Midwives there give advice by phone around the clock to anyone more than 22 weeks pregnant. If you are giving birth somewhere else, phone the birth unit where you will give birth.

Phone if labour seems to have started, if your waters break, if you are bleeding heavily from the vagina, or if you are worried that the baby is moving less. If you bleed more than about 1–2 tablespoons (15–30 ml), phone and go to the birth unit straight away, by ambulance if needed. Light bleeding or spotting is more common; Landspítali advises mentioning it to your midwife or doctor at your antenatal care. In an emergency, call 112.

As a guide, Heilsuvera says to contact the midwife at your place of birth when strong, regular contractions have gone on for an hour or more and come 2–5 minutes apart, or if you feel strong pressure downwards with them. If painful, regular contractions start before 37 weeks of pregnancy, phone the birth unit.

You can stay at home for as long as you feel able. If you have a scar on the uterus from an earlier caesarean, high blood pressure, diabetes, GBS in the birth canal or another risk factor, Landspítali recommends coming to the labour ward as soon as active labour begins. On the phone, the midwife can help you judge whether it is time to come or whether to wait a little longer at home.

Official sources

• Landspítali — Fæðingarvakt: þjónusta ↗
• Landspítali — Fæðingarvakt ↗
• Heilsuvera — Fæðing ↗

Last checked: 19 October 2026