77 maternity clinics suspend or restrict childbirths

Tuesday 25th March, 10:49 AM JST

TOKYO —

A health ministry survey showed Tuesday that 77 maternity clinics in Tokyo and 23 prefectures have suspended or restricted childbirths since January due mainly to a shortfall of obstetricians.

According to the survey by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, 45 clinics in Tokyo and 21 prefectures have suspended or will suspend handling childbirths, while 32 facilities in 10 prefectures have restricted or will restrict them. The ministry determined it will be impossible for seven clinics of the 77 to continue accepting pregnant women. It is now considering dispatching obstetricians to these clinics from neighboring university hospitals and other major medical facilities, ministry officials said.

› Login to comment

5 Comments

semperfi at 03:00 PM JST - 25th March

.

How about training midwives . . .?

There is indeed an obstetrician shortage.

Very few medical students train in this specialty now because the large drop in childbirths has made it less profitable - considering the high expense of training.

I have an acquaintance who is 76 years old , living in Wakayama, who continues to practice precisely because there is such a shortage of specialists in this area.
outofmydepth at 03:32 PM JST - 25th March

this - in a country that wants to stop the declining birth rate. for shame!!!!!! it is unbelievable in first world country. let`s get some competent foreign obstetricians into this country as well as competent nurses and other health care workers who truly want to help people. it looks like the japanese only want to go into the good pay good hours kind of jobs when it comes to health care.
sukebeoyagi at 03:58 PM JST - 25th March

Maybe Darvish might get a double call up?
gogogo at 06:43 PM JST - 25th March

Great stuff for a country with a declining birth rate.
speakingnow at 12:44 AM JST - 26th March

I know for a fact (personally) that in Minato-ku there's a significant problem with capacity handling. Right now we're in a sort of a boom brought about by the birth of a Royale heir.

If people are considering hosptials now, (should they have the luxury to do so), I would not recommend the Iku Hospital to which the Japanese princess went to. It's living back in dark ages with regards to Midwifery skills (again from experience) - I think she must have brought her own medical staff along (indeed if she didn't that'd also explain a lot). Were this America, Iku wouldn't be around, sadly this is Japan - the land of 'gomininasai' (i.e. we're sorry but "**** you"!)