Yonsei Severance Hospital announced to expectant mothers that epidural anesthesia during childbirth would not be possible due to the absence of residents. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Feb. 21 (Korea Bizwire) – An increase in expectant mothers receiving notifications about the unavailability of epidural anesthesia and delays in scheduled deliveries has been reported in South Korea, following a mass submission of resignation letters by residents at major hospitals.
Starting from February 19, Yonsei Severance Hospital announced to expectant mothers that epidural anesthesia during childbirth would not be possible due to the absence of residents in the department of anesthesiology and pain medicine.
A hospital representative told The Hankyoreh, “We are unable to administer epidural injections because we do not have residents in the department of anesthesiology and pain medicine. As a result, there was a surge in childbirths over the last weekend.”
Concerns among expectant mothers are flooding online parenting forums. One mother-to-be, whose due date is February 26, shared, “I received a notice from Severance Hospital about the unavailability of epidural anesthesia due to the residents’ strike, leaving me torn between opting for a cesarean section and transferring to another hospital.”
There are also instances of sudden changes in surgery schedules. A mother scheduled for a cesarean section on February 23 at a university hospital expressed her anxiety in a post, “I am a high-risk patient requiring blood donations, and my surgery has been moved up without adequate preparation.”
Another expectant mother, whose due date is this weekend, mentioned, “I was informed that natural delivery would be difficult due to staffing shortages, and I am considering transferring to another hospital.”
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
