An immigration officer checks the papers of a pregnant mainland woman yesterday at the Lok Ma Chau border checkpoint, where officers are watching for heavily pregnant women without obstetric bookings.

Legislator Lau Kong-wah said yesterday such border surveilance was not cost-effective, with 20 immigration officers being deployed each day at Lok Ma Chau on the checks, but only 20 to 30 mothers-to-be seeking to use the border crossing. He said at least 100 more officers would be needed for the checks when train services began and the Western Corridor road opened in July, adding further pressure to the operations of the Immigration Department.