13 South Korean hospitals reject pregnant woman, forced to deliver in ambulance
Emergency services search for two hours for hospital that would admit her
ISTANBUL
Thirteen South Korean hospitals refused to treat a pregnant Vietnamese woman who went into labor at Seoul's international airport, forcing her to give birth in an ambulance, The Korea Times reported on Monday.
The 31-year-old woman reportedly fainted at Incheon International Airport on Sunday, according to local fire authorities.
Authorities initially transferred her to Inha University Hospital, but the hospital declined treatment, citing a shortage of obstetricians.
Emergency services spent two hours searching for a hospital that would accept her, but she went into labor while waiting in the ambulance.
Firefighters, who were prepared for an emergency delivery, successfully delivered a baby boy. It remains unclear whether the woman was a visitor to South Korea or a resident.
“We conducted an emergency delivery in an ambulance due to severe labor pains while looking for other hospitals,” a fire official said. “The mother and the newborn were transferred to Inha University Hospital for treatment.”
The incident occurred amid a health crisis in South Korea, where thousands of junior doctors have been on strike since February last year, leading to major disruptions in hospital services.
