Increasing maternal and newborn mortality rates have prompted a senator to propose a law that would safeguard the health of Filipino mothers and their babies.

Senate Bill 1416 seeks to ensure the health and welfare of every woman throughout the pregnancy period and during the delivery of her child. If passed into law, the measure would encourage local government units nationwide to help provide facility-based child delivery.

Likewise, no maternal hospital, clinic, health center, lying-in, midwifery facility, or similar center, whether public or private shall be allowed to deny or refuse to assist, admit or accept the entry of a mother at the time of childbirth.

Bill proponent Senator Mark Villar said pregnant women will be assured of upgraded medical facilities and improved health services from the LGUs.

"At this point in time, where all medical facilities are equipped with modern-day technologies, it's still alarming to know that there are an increasing number of maternal mortalities directly resulting from pregnancy complications during labor, delivery, and the postpartum period," he said.

Citing the latest data from the Philippine Statistics Authority, Villar said that direct obstetric deaths posted the highest growth rate among the causes of maternal death in the first semester of this year.

"Accordingly, some 468 Filipinos were killed by other direct obstetric deaths representing a 10.1 percent increase from the 425 posted in the same period last year," he added.

Villar said maternal mortality rate can also be attributed to the lack of access to medical services and health facilities by pregnant women.