Extra beds will be provided at private hospitals this year for pregnant mainlanders married to Hong Kong men as part of a long-awaited government policy to differentiate them from mainland couples.
The health minister said yesterday that the Department of Health would issue additional delivery quotas to private hospitals serving this group of women as necessary.
Dr York Chow Yat-ngok was speaking in the wake of an announcement by chief executive-elect Leung Chun-ying that mainland women without a Hong Kong husband would not be allowed to give birth at the city's private hospitals from next year, although this did not apply to cross-border couples.
A decision has yet to be made on whether the same will apply to public hospitals.
Hong Kong-mainland couples will be required to provide four documents, including a marriage certificate, when booking a bed.
Four private hospitals, Union, Baptist, Precious Blood and St Teresa's, will open more spaces to accept women in this group who are expecting this year but have not yet secured a bed.