"Twins Birth" Lim Lara Exposes Emergency Room Whirlwind
"No Emergency Room Would Admit Me, Ended Up Back at Delivery Hospital"
Comedian Lim Lara (real name Lim Jihyun), who recently gave birth to twins, revealed that she experienced what is known as the "emergency room whirlwind" (being denied admission) during a critical situation caused by postpartum hemorrhage. She expressed her frustration, saying, "With so many hospitals, I couldn’t understand why none would admit me," and added, "In circumstances like this, who would dare to have a baby?"
On October 26, Lim Lara and her husband Son Minsu posted a video on their YouTube channel "Enjoy Couple," which has 2.6 million subscribers, stating, "We wanted to express our apologies and gratitude to everyone who was worried, but words alone weren’t enough, so we decided to greet you through this video."
Previously, on October 14, Lim Lara gave birth to twins and, just nine days later, was hospitalized in the intensive care unit after sudden bleeding that required an emergency room visit. Son Minsu commented, "Many people must have been shocked to see Lara rushed to the emergency room. She is now recovering," and explained, "When pregnant with twins, the uterus stretches significantly, and this can sometimes happen as it contracts."
Lim Lara clarified, "It was postpartum hemorrhage," and continued, "It wasn’t due to any mistake during my C-section. I delivered the babies on the 14th and was recovering well. On the day I finished my last obstetric checkup and was even told to walk more, I suddenly experienced heavy bleeding and had to go to the emergency room."
Regarding her reason for filming and uploading this video, she said, "Some viewers might criticize us for filming in such a condition. But after going through this, I felt strongly that this should never happen again, so I turned on the camera. I genuinely hope things will change and improve, which is why I am sharing this."
"Collapsed from Postpartum Hemorrhage, Then the Emergency Room Whirlwind"
Lim Lara then recalled the urgent situation during her postpartum hemorrhage, saying, "There was no hospital willing to admit a mother in such a severe condition." She added, "No emergency room would take me, so in the end, we had to travel 30 to 40 minutes back to the hospital where I had given birth. I think I lost consciousness about ten times on the way."
She went on to say, "I remember feeling heartbroken reading news stories about mothers dying in ambulances after being turned away from emergency rooms, but nothing seems to have changed. Experiencing it myself, I realized how outrageous it is. People talk a lot about low birth rates these days, but if the lives of babies and mothers aren’t protected, what’s the point of discussing birth rates?"
Comedian Im Lara (right), who recently gave birth to twins and experienced postpartum hemorrhage, is explaining her "emergency room whirlwind" experience together with her husband, comedian Son Minsu. YouTube channel "Enjoy Couple"
"Who Would Have a Baby Under These Circumstances?"
At the time, Lim Lara lost consciousness several times, and she recounted how she barely managed to open her eyes each time at the urging of the paramedics and her husband Son Minsu, who kept telling her to "stay awake." She said, "It was incredibly hard during those long moments when I couldn’t stay conscious, yet was being told to. With so many hospitals nearby, I couldn’t understand why none would admit me. It made me think, 'Who would want to have a baby under these circumstances?'"
She concluded, "If it weren’t for the paramedics, I wouldn’t be alive right now. I don’t want anything else except for situations like mine to never happen again. Childbirth is a life-threatening process, and many serious situations can arise. I hope that there will be an environment where people can receive prompt care when such emergencies occur."
After the "medical crisis" caused by conflicts between the government and medical associations early last year, the number of patients experiencing the emergency room whirlwind has surged. According to statistics from the National Fire Agency’s 119 emergency services, the number of patients who took more than an hour from ambulance dispatch to hospital arrival increased by 18.2%, from 113,081 in 2023 to 133,683 last year. Even though a significant number of medical residents (interns and residents) who had resigned in protest over the recent increase in medical school admissions returned to work earlier this month, the emergency medical system is still considered unstable.
On October 26, the National Assembly passed an amendment to the Emergency Medical Services Act to address the "emergency room whirlwind" issue, with 260 out of 261 members present voting in favor and one abstaining. The amendment includes provisions such as establishing a "hotline" (dedicated line) so that paramedics transporting emergency patients can quickly contact emergency rooms to confirm whether they can accept patients.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
