34 hospitals refuse transfer... Cheongju 24th week pregnant woman 130km away to Seoul

A 24-week pregnant woman complaining of abdominal pain in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, was unable to find an acceptable hospital and was transported to Seoul after three hours.

According to fire authorities on the 11th, at 8:40 p.m. the previous day, a report was received from Yulyang-dong, Cheongju-si that Ms. A, a 24-week pregnant woman, was experiencing pain in the lower abdomen.

It was reported that Mr. A was complaining of abdominal pain accompanied by bleeding when the ambulance arrived.

Firefighting authorities inquired about whether they could accommodate 34 hospitals across the country, including Chungbuk National University Hospital, but all informed them that it was impossible.

It was not until 10:30 p.m. that the fire authorities received a reply that a hospital in Seoul, 130 km away from Cheongju, could accommodate the patient, and transferred Mr. A there at 11:34 p.m., about 3 hours after the report.

The condition of the fetus was not known.

In Cheongju, a 29-week pregnant woman was unable to find a hospital in May and was transferred to a hospital in Busan 3 hours and 30 minutes after reporting, but the fetus eventually died.