Baby boom stretches health resources

Thomas Rima and Nikki Pomare with daughter Hine-Ao-Rangi, who was born on Wednesday at Middlemore Hospital. Picture / Kenny Rodger

A baby boom like no other in the country is stretching hospital facilities in South Auckland.

While the overall birthrate continues to decline, births in the Counties-Manukau District Health Board catchment have jumped 20 per cent over five years.

In the year to June, 7685 babies were born in Counties-Manukau - far outstripping the capacity of Middlemore Hospital's birthing unit, which was designed for 3500 a year.

And the number of births continues to rise.

"Our birthrates are consistently higher than any predictions that come out of the ministry or even with our own re-estimates," said Dr Keith Allenby, clinical director for women's health.

Officials have already had to revise 2004 projections of a 9.6 per cent growth over 10 years to 25 per cent, which means health professionals in the area are bracing for 2016, when 9500 babies are expected.

While some mothers go private, more than 6500 babies will still be delivered this year at Middlemore.

It has only 12 delivery suites to cater for about 20 births a day and Dr Allenby said the hospital had to improvise when demand was particularly heavy.

Among Counties' newest arrivals is Hine-Ao-Rangi Pomare, born on Wednesday night, 10 days late.

Hine-Ao-Rangi, whose name means "made in heaven", arrived a happy and healthy 3.7kg to new parents Nikki Pomare, 18, and Thomas Rima, 16.

Dr Allenby said many factors were behind the baby boom, but his gut feeling was that developments and subdivisions such as Dannemora were the largest contributor.

House prices in central Auckland were so high that young couples were being forced into the more affordable outer suburbs, he said.

"Every time you fly over Flat Bush and you see all these roads laid out, you think, 'Oh my God, that's where all our births are coming from'."

A relatively young Maori and Pacific Island population in the area was also a factor, but was not enough to account for the massive growth, Dr Allenby said.

The South Auckland Health Foundation is helping to raise funds for a new assessment and birthing unit at Middlemore. Construction for the new unit is expected to begin soon.