Premature baby doing fine after unexpected birth aboard plane

A premature baby girl, born weighing just 820 grams, is doing well in hospital thanks to the quick thinking of three healthcare professionals after her mother went into labor on board a flight recently.

The heartwarming story, published on the WeChat account of China Media Group on Tuesday, has touched many netizens.

According to the report, Chen Shanshan, a neonatal nurse at a hospital in Hainan province, was on a flight from Haikou, the provincial capital, to Beijing on Aug 3.

When she heard an emergency call asking for medical assistance, Chen rushed to lend a hand, only to find a woman had already delivered a baby, who wasn't breathing.

Chen and two doctors acted quickly to treat the baby, who was about 25 weeks old.

The nurse performed CPR on her and gave her supplemental oxygen, and asked crew members to fetch a hot water bottle and cabin bag to keep her warm.

"Premature babies must be kept warm. Even 1 degree of decrease in body temperature could lead to sepsis, and the mortality rate could rise," Chen explained.

Thanks to their efforts, the newborn began breathing and showed signs of improvement. The plane made an emergency stop at an airport in Hunan province, and Chen escorted the baby to a local hospital. She continued to perform CPR for about an hour and a half, right up until the baby was admitted to the emergency room.

The newborn's father said that within two weeks of her birth, his little girl had gained 50 grams. He has contacted Chen and expressed his gratitude via video. The airline also gave Chen a letter of thanks for her timely and professional help.

The story has received about 12,000 likes on social media. In a comment left by Chen herself, she said she wanted to thank the two doctors and the crew members.

"Without their assistance, I couldn't have finished this emergency task smoothly," she said.

Xinhua