Indian-origin woman gives birth to baby boy on UK highway

London, Dec 20: An Indian-origin woman has given birth to a baby boy on a highway in the UK after going into labour in front seat of a car while on her way to a hospital.

Kanta Pau and her husband Amit were on the way to a hospital in Watford, southern England, on the M1 route when she screamed that baby Rishan was unlikely to wait.

"By the time we were leaving, the pain had got worse. We got on the motorway and just after Junction 10 on the M1 well, I kind of gave birth," said the 41-year-old mother.

"It was a scary moment and I'm so glad my husband was with me," she said. Amit, 39, helped in delivering the baby but the cord was wrapped around Rishan's neck.

Fortunately, an emergency call handler was able to talk them through the after-care process as the infant's sisters Radha, 7, and Radhika, 2, watched from the back seat as events unfolded.

The couple had planned to drop off older daughters with their grandmother on the way, the local Luton Today newspaper reported.

"All of a sudden Kanta said oh the baby is coming. I was just going past junction 10 of the M1 and then she said the baby's come out. I said you're joking and I put my hand down and could feel this baby's leg. I was in complete and utter shock and I pulled over on to the hard shoulder. I did panic but obviously I had to keep it together because my wife was in pain and my two girls were in the car," Amit said.

Rishan was born on December 12, two weeks early and weighing 5lbs and 13oz. Once paramedics arrived the family travelled to Luton and Dunstable hospital.

Rishan was also welcomed by elder brother Raja, 22, from his mother's first marriage and had his naming ceremony yesterday.

PTI