DougP
08-30-2007, 01:01 AM
:ohmy:Very sad to hear of these things happening. Especially here in Japan.
Woman miscarries after ambulance accident, rejection by 9 hospitals
Wednesday, August 29, 2007 at 19:18 EDT
OSAKA — A pregnant woman suffered a miscarriage Wednesday after nine hospitals refused to admit her and an ambulance carrying her collided with a minivan in Takatsuki, Osaka Prefecture, while on its way to another hospital, police and local firefighters said.
The 36-year-old woman from Nara Prefecture, who was in the third month of pregnancy, and the ambulance workers did not sustain injuries due to the collision. But it took about three hours for the woman to finally reach the 10th hospital located about 40 kilometers away, they said.
Emergency care services for pregnant women have been in focus in the area following the death of a pregnant woman in Nara Prefecture last year who was refused admission by about 20 hospitals which said their beds were full.
The incident led Osaka, Nara and nearby prefectures to agree to cooperate in ensuring a system that women before and after delivery would be transported to and admitted by hospitals.
In Wednesday's case, the woman suffered stomach pain and bleeding and was picked up by ambulance at around 2:55 a.m., but the ambulance had to wait until around 4:20 a.m. to find a hospital that would accept her.
The firefighters could not find a maternity hospital in Nara Prefecture due to surgeries in progress or other reasons, the firefighters said.
The woman's water broke at around 5 a.m. while the ambulance was on the way to the 10th hospital in Takatsuki and the collision occurred about 10 minutes later, they said.
The ambulance collided with the minivan at an intersection on National Route 171 in Takatsuki with its siren and red light on, police said.
Police said they do not know whether the accident caused the woman's miscarriage.
The woman was transferred to another ambulance and arrived at the hospital at around 5:50 a.m.
Woman miscarries after ambulance accident, rejection by 9 hospitals
Wednesday, August 29, 2007 at 19:18 EDT
OSAKA — A pregnant woman suffered a miscarriage Wednesday after nine hospitals refused to admit her and an ambulance carrying her collided with a minivan in Takatsuki, Osaka Prefecture, while on its way to another hospital, police and local firefighters said.
The 36-year-old woman from Nara Prefecture, who was in the third month of pregnancy, and the ambulance workers did not sustain injuries due to the collision. But it took about three hours for the woman to finally reach the 10th hospital located about 40 kilometers away, they said.
Emergency care services for pregnant women have been in focus in the area following the death of a pregnant woman in Nara Prefecture last year who was refused admission by about 20 hospitals which said their beds were full.
The incident led Osaka, Nara and nearby prefectures to agree to cooperate in ensuring a system that women before and after delivery would be transported to and admitted by hospitals.
In Wednesday's case, the woman suffered stomach pain and bleeding and was picked up by ambulance at around 2:55 a.m., but the ambulance had to wait until around 4:20 a.m. to find a hospital that would accept her.
The firefighters could not find a maternity hospital in Nara Prefecture due to surgeries in progress or other reasons, the firefighters said.
The woman's water broke at around 5 a.m. while the ambulance was on the way to the 10th hospital in Takatsuki and the collision occurred about 10 minutes later, they said.
The ambulance collided with the minivan at an intersection on National Route 171 in Takatsuki with its siren and red light on, police said.
Police said they do not know whether the accident caused the woman's miscarriage.
The woman was transferred to another ambulance and arrived at the hospital at around 5:50 a.m.