A high-risk pregnant woman living in Anseong, Gyeonggi Province, traveled about 150 kilometers by helicopter to Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, to give birth after 25 hospitals reportedly declined to receive her. The case, reported by Dong-A Ilbo, began at about 2:07 a.m. on October 1, when the woman, 35 weeks pregnant, experienced ruptured membranes and called emergency services.

Paramedics searched for a hospital that could take the patient, contacting 25 facilities, including 21 in the Seoul metropolitan area. None was identified as able to receive her at that point. A hospital in Jeonju was eventually found, and the woman was transported there by helicopter. She underwent a cesarean section about six hours after the initial emergency call and delivered the baby.

Pregnancy stage
35 weeks
Hospitals contacted
25, including 21 in the Seoul metropolitan area
Travel distance
About 150 kilometers from Anseong to Jeonju
Time to delivery
About six hours after the emergency call

The Ministry of Health and Welfare described the incident as a case in which an emergency transfer system moved a high-risk pregnant woman to a hospital within the critical time needed to overcome the danger. That explanation emphasizes that the transfer system ultimately connected the patient with treatment. The episode nevertheless shows how difficult it can be to secure immediate access to delivery care, even for a resident of a region with a concentration of medical institutions.

The reported delay also highlights the importance of round-the-clock delivery services and emergency cesarean capacity. A woman whose membranes have ruptured may face prolonged uncertainty while hospitals are contacted and transport is arranged. For families in that situation, the central question is not only whether a hospital can eventually be found, but whether a facility capable of handling a high-risk delivery is available when the emergency begins. The case renews attention on the resilience and coverage of emergency obstetric care for mothers and newborns.