Woman gives birth at 25 weeks after going into labour on transatlantic flight
A woman who went into early labour on a transatlantic flight has given birth to a baby girl four months premature in a Dublin hospital.
The American Airlines flight from Paris to North Carolina had to be diverted to Dublin when the woman, just 25 weeks pregnant, went into labour one hour into the flight.
Jenny Drake was returning home to Nashville after a work-related trip to Paris with her husband Gavin.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, she said she was terrified the baby would be born on the plane, but luckily she managed to reach hospital where her daughter was born just four minutes later.
Zoe, who has been given the middle name Ireland, was born weighing just 1lb 8oz.
"She’s doing really well and is stable now thankfully," said Ms Drake.
Describing the ordeal, she said several doctors on board had helped her.
"It was just really emotional. It was a huge relief to arrive safely," she told the Daily Mail.
Baby Zoe is said to be ‘feisty’ and thriving but is expected to remain in intensive care in Dublin for the next few months.
The couple, who also have a three-year-old son Aiden, have set up a GoFundMe page set up to help them fund their prolonged stay and have already raised nearly $12,000.
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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