Cho Ray Hospital doctor recounts 20-minute emergency delivery aboard a plane

The baby arrived after only six or seven minutes of active assistance, as a Cho Ray Hospital doctor and other medical workers handled an emergency delivery in an airplane cabin.

The woman, a Vietnamese first-time mother aged about 24 or 25, was around 30 weeks pregnant when she began showing signs of premature labor on a flight from Denmark to Vietnam. About three hours remained before landing when the crew asked for medical help.

Ho Khanh Thanh initially thought the passenger might be experiencing panic. But her abdomen was contracting strongly, her waters had broken, and he could feel the baby’s head. “This is labor and it needs to be handled immediately. We could not wait,” Thanh said. He stressed that rapid delivery was especially important for a premature baby because delaying could increase the risk of breathing problems.

“

This is labor and it needs to be handled immediately. We could not wait. With a premature baby, the most important thing at that moment was to deliver the baby quickly, because delaying could increase the risk of breathing problems.

Thanh worked with a foreign doctor and nurse, as well as Vietnamese cardiology and pediatric doctors. None was an obstetrician, but they divided tasks and supported one another. The passenger, who spoke several languages, helped translate, while the cabin crew assisted throughout the process.

The mother was moved to the business-class cabin, where there was more room. After the baby was born weighing 1.3 kilograms, the group monitored its breathing and kept it warm with the materials available. They cut the mother’s shirt to place the baby skin-to-skin on her chest and used the strap from a sterile face-mask package to tie the umbilical cord. Medical workers also started an intravenous line and gave the mother fluids. The baby cried and breathed well, while the mother repeatedly thanked those who had helped her.

“

None of us was an obstetrician, but each person tried to help within their area of expertise. We discussed what to do, worked together and supported one another.