The Hong Kong Health Authority is planning to sharply raise childbirth charges for mainland women who arrive in the special administrative region (SAR) for deliveries, the Guangzhou Daily reports.

The move aims to ease great pressure on area hospitals after an increasing number of mainland women have arrived in the area to give birth.

Last year, more than 3,600 mainland women arrived in Hong Kong to deliver, up 20 times over four years ago.

Meanwhile, more than 18,000 mainland women whose husbands are Hong Kong residents also arrive in Hong Kong for childbirth purposes annually, increasing strain on local hospitals.

Childbirth charges will be raised to about HK$20,000 (US$2,570) in the future. The current price is about HK$6,600 (US$848).

(China Daiyl May 10, 2005)