New scheme increases birth options for mothers

The Department of Health (DH) has launched its Confirmation Certificate on Delivery Booking scheme, which allows pregnant women from the mainland to give birth in Hong Kong private hospitals.

Under the new scheme, participating hospitals must confirm all bookings in advance and issue the watermarked certificate in accordance with the agreed number of deliveries.

Each hospital must submit information on the number of obstetric bookings and deliveries to the DH for better health service monitoring, and to help the Immigration Department officers verify the procedures at various control points.

The Government will later form a central registry to monitor obstetric service data using an electronic system.