A newborn baby boy has been left in a "babybox" in the Belgian city of Antwerp, the latest unwanted infant whose parents have taken advantage of a controversial charity scheme, the Belga news agency reported Sunday.

The infant, who was apparently in good heath, was left on Saturday.

A ''babybox'' in Borgerhout, Antwerp. Credit:AFP

He will be transferred to a child care centre and if his parents are not identified within six months, an adoption process will be launched, Belga reported, citing municipal authorities.

It was the fourth time the "safety deposit box" has been used since the system, which has also been adopted in countries such as Germany and Japan, was introduced in Antwerp in 2000.

The baby box, effectively a warm and secure incubator which sets off an alarm to alert staff when used, was set up by the Mothers for Mothers (Moeders voor Moeders) charity and allows parents to anonymously deposit their unwanted newborns.

AFP