THE SOUTHERN Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) urged pregnant women to avoid home-based deliveries even if they are not considered high-risk.
Dr. Mary Lee Lim, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, said that childbirths should be done in hospitals and accredited lying-ins to avoid complications during delivery.
“We do not allow home deliveries anymore, it’s a big no-no,” Lim said during the Kapihan sa Dabaw on Monday, May 26.
Citing Davao City Health Office data, Lim said two of 10 mortalities from January-April 2025 were home deliveries.
Asked if these were due to the distance of the lying-in facilities, she said it is mostly due to the culture of birthing alone or at home.
This was also reiterated by Dr. Naomae Mondia, noting that homebirth is both a threat to the mother and the child, especially those who lack prenatal care.
Accessibility to healthcare can also be a challenge that also contributes to hesitancy of expectant mothers.
“We really need to empower the mothers and women to get prenatal care from health centers and barangays health workers,” she said.
Lim added that pregnancies often reach a complicated stage before it is transferred to the SPMC.
Pre-eclampsia, or a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy, tops the highest number of cases among expectant mothers, and oftentimes it reaches the complicated stage before seeking the hospital care.
She reported that out of 13,449 deliveries in 2024, 16% of the mothers have been admitted for hypertension.
