This Toronto doc delivered a child mid-flight and bought the sweetest shock from the mom
Aisha Khatib may be a travel medicine specialist, but she definitely wasn’t expecting that on a recent flight!
When parents think of childbirth, many imagine a hospital room full of nurses and doctors, or perhaps a home birth with a midwife at their bedside. And that’s how it usually goes. But for some, the experience is completely different than they imagined.
dr Aisha Khatib, a University of Toronto professor and doctor specializing in travel medicine, was on a Qatar Airways flight earlier this week when she did something she never expected: help deliver a baby in midair.
She shared her disbelief and excitement on twitter on Jan. 13, calling the delivery a “miracle in the air.”
Is there a doctor on the plane? 🙋🏽♀️👩🏽⚕️ Never thought I would give birth on a flight! ✈️ @qatarairways Thank you to the airline crew who helped support the birth of this miracle in the air! Mom and baby are fine and healthy! #Travel Medicine pic.twitter.com/4JuQWfsIDE
— Aisha Khatib, MD (@AishaKhatib) January 13, 2022
And it really is a miracle! According to this, births on airplanes only occur in about 1 in 26 million passengers Medical aviation company MedAire. Luckily, Khatib was on board when the mother went into labor, and with the support of the plane’s flight crew, she gave birth to a healthy baby girl.
Khatib received a lot of support for her efforts on social media and was applauded by a number of doctors including the University of Toronto School of Medicine called the story “The content we all need right now.”
“This is called the epitome of travel medicine!” said another Twitter user in response to Khatib’s incredible story.
But for Khatib, whose academic research has looked at the risks of flying during the COVID-19 pandemic, the most meaningful part of the experience was the appreciation she felt from the new mother. She expressed her joy with lots of heart and crying emojis as she wrote this “The best part is that she named the baby after me!”
Catch a glimpse of the adorable newborn and the amazing crew who helped her mother welcome her into the world.
Meet Baby Miracle Aisha 💕 pic.twitter.com/hkiJpgvGKv
— Aisha Khatib, MD (@AishaKhatib) January 13, 2022
Khatib said both mother and baby are doing well after their eventful first moments together. Cheers to Khatib again for rising like a true hero!
