KOCHI: Doctors at a private hospital in Kochi delivered a baby boy inside a car after a 21-year-old pregnant woman went into advanced labour moments after reaching the hospital premises on Sunday.
The woman had travelled from Kannur to Aroor with her husband and parents to attend a marriage function.
Though her expected date of delivery was January 22, she developed labour pain at around 3 am on Sunday and was initially taken to a nearby hospital in Aroor, where medication was administered to reduce contractions.
However, as the pain intensified by around 8 am, the family decided to proceed to VPS Lakeshore Hospital in Kochi. When hospital authorities were informed about the patient’s arrival, emergency physician Dr Adil Ashraf rushed to the emergency entrance.
Upon examining the patient inside the car, the doctor realised that the baby was already halfway out. As there was no time to move the woman inside the hospital without risking serious complications, the medical team decided to conduct the delivery in the car itself.
“By the time the patient reached the emergency entrance, the baby was already coming out. Any attempt to move her further could have led to complications, so the delivery was conducted immediately at the spot,” Dr Adil Ashraf said.
Following the delivery, the mother was shifted to the labour room for postnatal care, while the newborn was admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit for observation. Hospital authorities said both the mother and baby are stable and doing well.
The patient’s husband said the timely intervention by the hospital team saved the lives of both the mother and the newborn. “The situation was extremely critical. The doctors and staff acted immediately and ensured my wife and baby were safe. We are grateful to the entire team,” he said.