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U.S. Pregnant Woman Loses One Twin After Seven Daegu Hospitals Refuse Emergency Admission
3 months ago•Lisa Park
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A 28-week pregnant American woman in South Korea lost one twin to hypoxia and another to severe brain damage after seven hospitals refused treatment, forcing a four-hour emergency transfer to the Seoul area. While the mother's life is stable, the tragedy has intensified scrutiny regarding the "ER Shuffle" emergency care crisis.
Summary
| Event | Detail |
|---|---|
| Initial Emergency | Pregnant U.S. woman (28 weeks) experienced abdominal pain in Daegu. |
| Admission Refusals | Eight medical facilities refused admission. |
| Medical Outcome | One twin died; survivor suffered serious brain damage. |
| Current Status | Family is pursuing legal action against the state. |
Key Facts
- Paramedics spent an hour searching for an available bed in Daegu before the family requested a transfer to the Seoul metropolitan area.
- Hospitals cited a lack of obstetricians and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) beds for the refusals.
- Due to nighttime helicopter constraints and regional transfer rules, the husband initially drove the patient in a private vehicle toward Gyeonggi Province.
- During the journey, the patient’s amniotic fluid burst and her blood pressure dropped, necessitating ambulance swaps.
- An emergency C-section was performed at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital four hours after the initial emergency report.
- The bereaved family is considering a lawsuit for damages against the state and relevant institutions.
Key Terms
- NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit): Specialized department for intensive medical care of premature or ill newborns.
- Hypoxia: Critical condition where the body is deprived of oxygen.
Key Quote
"An emergency C-section was performed, but one of the twins died immediately after birth due to hypoxia. The surviving child is undergoing treatment for serious brain damage." — City of Daegu and firefighting authorities
Next
- Monitoring the recovery of the surviving twin.
- Potential filing of lawsuits for damages by the family.
- Investigation into the shortage of obstetricians and the regional "ER Shuffle" crisis.