The photo has been used for illustrative purposes.

On Sunday, Medcare, the premium healthcare division of Aster DM Healthcare, reported a rare emergency birth case where a baby was successfully delivered in a taxi after arriving at Medcare Hospital Sharjah. A car horn was heard in front of the emergency room in the early hours of the morning. Nurses ran to the vehicle to find a woman who had just delivered her baby on the back seat; both were in good condition and the baby was crying, wrapped in a blanket, on its mother's chest.

Doctors arrived at the scene to cut the umbilical cord and transfer the baby to the maternity ward where routine checks were carried out. Both mother and baby were said to be happy and healthy. Emergency deliveries such as this are very rare in the UAE, and this was the first reported successful delivery in a car at Medcare Hospital Sharjah.

Births that occur outside the hospital setting or planned home births not attended by a healthcare professional are rare – but they do happen. These births are known as ‘born before arrival’ (BBA).

While many women express concerns about giving birth en route to the hospital, doctors emphasise the most important precaution is for pregnant women to be aware of the risk and be prepared for emergency situations to ensure the best outcome for their baby.

One study found that women who had a BBA birth were most likely to be having their second baby or expecting a girl. These BBA births occur more commonly in the birth of preterm babies and babies with lower birth weight. Potential influencing factors included distance to the hospital and low maternal socioeconomic status.

Medcare doctors and specialists in the Sharjah hospital maternity ward ensure the safety and wellbeing of the mother and baby comes first. The team aims to deliver a patient-centric healthcare journey, based on the individual mother's history, taking into account any known risks for a BBA baby.

Doctors typically recommend that women head to the hospital to deliver when their water breaks or when contractions become regular, meaning four or five minutes apart for more than an hour. But sometimes, neither of these signs of labour occur – it is important to keep calm in these emergency situations.

Dr Kishan Pakkal, COO of Medcare Hospital Sharjah, said, “At Medcare we believe the patient's safety comes first, which in this case included both the mother and child. We also counsel expectant mothers to be fully aware of all possible scenarios and the ability to deal with any unusual event to the extent possible before they reach the hospital."