SPMC logs over 13K deliveries

THE Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) recorded around 13,000 deliveries at the hospital for 2024.

Dr. Mary Lee Lim, member of the department of obstetrics and gynecology at SPMC, said that 16.29 percent of that number are patients who have hypertension, 1.8 percent have respiratory complications, less than five percent have cardiac disorder, 3.5 percent have diabetes, 1.2 percent have thyroid disorder, and 0.1 percent have infection-related diseases.

“Our census is increasing. At SPMC, the administration is very supportive. They hire more nurses,” Lim said on Monday morning, May 26, 2025, at SM City Davao.

Lim said that they expect these numbers to increase and that they are aiming to hire more nurses and other healthcare personnel to cater to the increasing patients.

Lim also reported that data provided by the City Health Office (CHO) showed that a total of 10 women died due to complications in pregnancy from January to April 2025. Of that number, two died because of home deliveries, one died due to hemorrhage, and one case is a complication due to preeclampsia or uterine rupture.

Dr. Naomae Mondia of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at SPMC expressed that the Department of Health (DOH) highly discouraged home deliveries and hilot since this poses a threat to pregnant women.
She said that they want to encourage expectant women to seek medical attention and empower them. Pregnant women could seek help from barangay health workers and midwives.

Lim then said that one of the factors why expectant women choose home deliveries is their attitude and culture, adding that some of them have been too complacent in giving birth at home.

Dr. Giannelli Kristine Remocaldo, a medical specialist of PhilHealth-Davao, said that their office offers various packages for expecting mothers, adding that they have already doubled the benefits for expectant women.

She said that their maternity care package is already at P12,675 for facilities and P15,000 for lying-in centers. This includes prenatal care, check-ups, and the birthing experience.

Kleah Guevarra, spokesperson of PhilHealth-Davao, said that they also increased the benefits of their cesarean procedures to more than 50 percent, from P19,000 to P37,050. She then encouraged expectant mothers to avail themselves of these services. RGP