Rare case of safe premature birth in the air

A premature baby girl weighing just 820g is recovering well in hospital thanks to the quick response of three medical staff after her mother went into labour on a recent flight in China.

The above story was posted on China Media Group's WeChat account on August 20 and touched the hearts of many netizens.

According to the news, Ms. Chen Shanshan, an obstetrician at a hospital in Hainan province, was on a flight from the capital Haikou to Beijing on August 3.

When she heard the call for medical assistance, she rushed to help and found the mother had given birth to a 25-week-old baby still wrapped in amniotic fluid. Dr. Chen decided to treat the baby immediately. Two other doctors on the plane also came to help.

When the medical team removed the newborn from the amniotic fluid, he was not breathing and had no pulse. Dr. Chen quickly responded by performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and providing oxygen through the nose, while also asking the crew members to find a bottle of warm water and supplies to keep the baby warm.

Dr. Chen explained that newborns need to be kept warm. A drop in body temperature of just 1 degree Celsius can lead to sepsis and increase the mortality rate.

Thanks to the efforts of the doctors, the baby's heartbeat returned to normal. The plane made an emergency landing at the airport in Hunan province and Dr. Chen escorted the baby to a local hospital.

The baby's father later contacted Dr. Chen and expressed his gratitude to her via video, saying that the girl was developing normally.

The airline also sent Dr. Chen a letter thanking her for her professional, efficient and timely assistance. The story has been widely shared on social media.

In a comment left by Dr. Chen herself, she thanked the two doctors and crew members who helped her complete such a special emergency mission.