Hospital reflects census data

Last year, more babies were born at Pa. Hospital - the city's leader in births - than in 2006.
By Michael Matza
Inquirer Staff Writer

Pennsylvania Hospital, the nation's first hospital and Philadelphia's leader in births annually, knows from experience what the U.S. Census Bureau announced as the New Year rang in: America's population is expected to grow almost 1 percent in 2008, paced by more births than deaths and increased immigration - both legal and illegal - to the United States.

"Our numbers are tracking up," said Lee-Ann Landis, spokeswoman for the hospital, where 5,103 babies were born in 2006 and, as of yesterday, 5,190 in 2007.

In addition to serving more pregnant women who are born in the United States and naturalized citizens, "we are seeing more and more undocumented immigrants," she said.

Undocumented women are not entitled to government assistance to pay for prenatal care, said Landis, but the hospital does not turn away any woman who arrives in labor. Because many of the undocumented mothers-to-be have not had reliable prenatal check-ups, their deliveries can be more complicated and costly, Landis said.