'COVID-19 Positive' Pregnant Woman Gives Birth in Ambulance Again... "Wandered for 2 Hours Due to No Available Hospital Beds"

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[Asia Economy Reporter Na Ye-eun] A pregnant woman who was receiving home treatment after testing positive for COVID-19 struggled for over two hours to find a hospital that could accommodate her and ended up giving birth in an ambulance.

According to the Incheon Fire Department on the 25th, at around 6:20 PM the previous day, a 119 emergency team was dispatched to a house in Cheongna-dong, Seo-gu, Incheon, following a report that "the pregnant woman, Ms. A, was experiencing labor pains." Ms. A had tested positive for COVID-19 on the 24th, the day of her delivery, and was in self-quarantine.

Before dispatch, the paramedics contacted a nearby obstetrics and gynecology clinic and were informed that they could accept the patient, so they headed to that hospital. However, upon arrival, the hospital refused to admit her, stating they could not treat COVID-19 positive patients.

They also received notifications from other hospitals capable of admitting pregnant COVID-19 patients that admission was not possible.

Eventually, about 1 hour and 40 minutes after the initial report, around 8 PM, a hospital that could accept her was found, and they headed to an obstetrics and gynecology hospital located in Anyang-si, Gyeonggi Province, approximately 45 km away.

Meanwhile, Ms. A’s labor pains became more regular and intense, and her water broke. Around 8:30 PM, near the hospital, Ms. A gave birth to a baby boy, and both mother and baby arrived at the hospital in good health 10 minutes later.

The 119 paramedics said, "Hearing the newborn baby's cry brought a sigh of relief," and added, "We are grateful to the mother who endured the long time in the ambulance and to the healthy baby."

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