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Elizabeth Cheung

Expectant mothers in Hong Kong requiring government antenatal services will only need to visit public hospitals, rather than maternal and child health centres, under a change taking effect on Monday.
Health authorities announced on Friday that antenatal services currently provided by maternal and child health centres, managed by the Department of Health, would be transferred to public hospitals under the Hospital Authority.
“After the service integration, the obstetrics department of the Hospital Authority will provide one-stop antenatal services to all pregnant women planning to give birth in public hospitals,” the department stated.
“The integration is one of the measures to optimise service management and follow-up arrangements.”
Under the existing system, public antenatal care is jointly provided by hospital obstetrics departments and maternal and child health centres.
High‑risk pregnancies are managed in hospitals, while those with low‑risk pregnancies receive care at both hospitals and health centres.
The changes will be implemented in two phases. The first, beginning on Monday, will integrate antenatal services from 15 maternal and child health centres into nine public hospitals.
The second, scheduled for next year, will transfer antenatal services from three health centres in New Territories East to Prince of Wales Hospital. The exact date and related arrangements will be announced later.

Expectant mothers can make appointments with hospital obstetrics departments via the “HA Go” mobile app or in person.
Those who have already booked antenatal services at a maternal and child health centre for July or later can still attend their appointments. Staff will explain subsequent arrangements, including follow-up visits at public hospitals.
Antenatal services, fee structures and target groups will remain unchanged after the transfer. Check-ups, blood tests, screenings and vaccinations will continue to be provided.
Time slots previously allocated for antenatal services at health centres will be reassigned to other services, such as child health and postnatal care.
Hong Kong has experienced a declining birth rate over the past decades. Government statistics show that annual births fell from 60,900 in 2016 to 31,100 in 2025.
In the 2024 policy address, the government proposed a comprehensive review of the healthcare system, aiming to reform the roles and division of responsibilities among the authority, the Department of Health and the Primary Healthcare Commission.
Under the reform, the department’s clinical services will be gradually integrated into the authority or the commission.
A similar integration took place in February, when the department’s hospital dental services were merged with the authority’s oral and maxillofacial surgery services.


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Hong Kong

Health & Environment

Public hospitals to offer one-stop antenatal services after integration from maternal health centres as part of two-phase plan starting on Monday


Public hospitals to offer one-stop antenatal services after integration from maternal health centres as part of two-phase plan starting on Monday.


Hospital Authority

Hong Kong moves antenatal care to public hospitals in reform push

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Public hospitals to offer one-stop antenatal services after integration from maternal health centres as part of two-phase plan starting on Monday

Public hospitals to offer one-stop antenatal services after integration from maternal health centres as part of two-phase plan starting on Monday