Hong Kong may cancel the quota of mainland mothers in its public hospitals, Oriental Morning Post reported, citing a senior public health official.

The number of mainland mothers-to-be who crossed the border and went to emergency wards has decreased from 40 a week to about 10 since last month, when the authority took measures to discourage non-local women from giving birth in the city, said York Chow, Hong Kong's secretary for Food & Health.

Babies born to mainland mothers in Hong Kong totaled 32,000 in 2010, accounting for about 40 percent of all births in Hong Kong.