The new obstetric service arrangements have been working smoothly with hospital deliveries by non-local women falling to 7,771 in February to December last year, down 29.4% on the same period a year earlier, the Hospital Authority says. The arrangements will be reviewed in the middle of this year.

In a Legislative Council paper today the authority said the arrangements were launched last February to tackle the rapid rise in demand by non-local women for obstetric services in Hong Kong.

From February to December last year there were 11,084 and 24,551 booking certificates issued to non-local pregnant women by public and private hospitals. Deliveries by local women in public hospitals were 28,062, up 8.6% on a year earlier. Deliveries by non-local women dropped 29.4% to 7,771.

The increase in service package charge coupled with the implementation of the booking system and immigration measures have limited the number of births by non-local women in Hong Kong to a level that can be supported by the city's healthcare system. Last year saw 70,394 births in Hong Kong, 7.3% higher than 2006. The growth rate of births by Mainland women dropped to 5.5% in 2006-07 from 33.7% in 2005-06.

Fewer non-booked cases

The new arrangements have also cut non-booked obstetric cases by non-local pregnant women in public hospitals. From February to December last year 15.1% of the 7,771 non-local pregnant women who gave birth in public hospitals sought emergency hospital admission.

Deliveries by non-local women in public hospitals admitted through accident and emergency departments were 87% lower on average than the same period in 2006.

On the settlement rate for obstetric services by non-local pregnant women, it rose to 94.3% last year from 86.7% in 2006. The settlement rate for booked cases was 99.8% and non-booked cases 61.8%.

The authority will continue monitoring the use of obstetric services by non-local women in public hospitals.