Jehovah's Witnesses member dies after refusing blood transfusion

Japan Today/June 20, 2007

Osaka — A member of the Jehovah's Witnesses sect died recently after losing a lot of blood when giving birth by cesarean and refusing a blood transfusion, officials at Osaka Medical College revealed Tuesday. The hospital said it had agreed with the woman before the surgery that it would not transfuse any blood to her.

Although she bled copiously after delivering her child in May, doctors at the hospital only took steps to arrest the hemorrhage. She died several days later, according to the hospital. A hospital official said, "We briefed her about the danger involving the surgery and we repeatedly urged her family to accept a blood transfusion. But in the end we respected the patient's wishes."