Delta passenger gives birth before flight lands
A pregnant passenger gave birth aboard a flight from Atlanta to Portland, Oregon, last Friday.
Delta confirmed the baby's birth aboard DL478 approximately 30 minutes prior to landing at Portland International Airport, thanking the doctor and two nurses who stepped in to assist the Delta flight crew in a statement to ABC News.
"We extend our sincere thanks to the crew and medical volunteers on board who stepped in to provide care to a customer onboard prior to landing in Portland. The health and safety of our customers is always our top priority, and we wish the new family all the best," Delta said.
In audio from the flight, shared by Broadcastify, a crew member can be heard saying, "The baby has been delivered on the aircraft. So, they're gonna be coming in with the baby delivered."
It is not known how far along the passenger was in their pregnancy.
According to Delta, the crew requested priority handling with air traffic control, and the plane, which was carrying 153 customers and four flight attendants, was met by EMS after landing.
The airline added that its crew members "undergo comprehensive medical training" for such situations.
The Port of Portland, which handles operations for Portland International Airport, confirmed Portland Airport Fire & Rescue responded to the incident.
"They found everyone in stable condition when the aircraft landed shortly before its regularly scheduled arrival time of approximately 10 p.m. PT. The baby had been delivered in-flight," a Port of Portland statement read. "Our responding crew found the mother and baby healthy, and the new family was transported to a local hospital for observation."
On its website, Delta states that it does not "impose restrictions on flying if you're pregnant," noting that it doesn't require any sort of medical certificate for pregnant passengers to travel.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists also shares travel guidelines for those who are pregnant on its website and says it is generally safe to travel during pregnancy but that there may be risks "depending on how far along you are in pregnancy."
"It's usually safe to travel until close to your due date as long as you take safety precautions to ensure a safe and enjoyable journey," the organization states. "But the risks of travel may change depending on how far along you are in pregnancy. And travel may not be recommended if you have pregnancy complications."
ACOG advises pregnant people to speak with a doctor when planning air travel and to consider the possibility of pregnancy emergencies occurring away from their usual care providers.
ABC News has reached out to the baby's family for comment.
Editor's note: This article has been updated to include a statement from the Port of Portland.
