At least three babies were born inside firefighter ambulances over the last three days, from Wednesday to Friday. Social media reports detail the births of Gerson, Madjera, and Santiago in ambulances from the fire service units of Moita, Moura, and Montijo.
On Facebook, the Volunteer Firefighters of Moita announced that at 1:05 AM on Friday, they received a “call for a woman in labor in Baixa da Banheira, who, due to the closure of the Barreiro Maternity Ward, was to be transported to Setúbal.”
However, little Gerson “was in a hurry” and was born 15 minutes later, at 1:20 AM.
“He decided to be born promptly with the help of our operatives and was later taken to Setúbal Hospital”, explained the unit, emphasizing that “all’s well that ends well.”
On Wednesday, the Volunteer Firefighters of Moura reported the birth of a baby girl inside one of their ambulances en route to Beja Hospital.
In a statement also posted on Facebook, the unit explained that the birth happened following an “emergency call for labor.” During the transport to Beja Hospital, the firefighters, supported by the SIV team and a doctor, assisted the birth inside the ambulance.
“It was 2:05 AM when Madjera was born,” the brigade wrote. “Congratulations to the parents and the multidisciplinary team.”
Later that day, Santiago was born after operatives from the Volunteer Firefighters of Montijo were “dispatched to transport a pregnant woman who, at the initial assessment time, showed no signs of imminent labor.”
However, “during the journey, the situation quickly progressed, and at 11:13 AM, labor began, culminating in the birth of young Santiago at kilometer 0.3 of the IC21.”
According to the unit, “both mother and newborn are doing well.”
This year alone, more than 40 babies have been born in ambulances or at home, according to fire units’ social media reports. The number could be higher since not all incidents are reported.
At the end of April, Health Minister Ana Paula Martins acknowledged the need to reduce the number of babies born in ambulances, although she noted that such incidents have always occurred.
“The goal is to have fewer babies born in ambulances, mainly through well-monitored pregnancies. If there is an area where we have excelled over the past 45 years, it is in maternity and child health. Therefore, we must ensure that these indicators are maintained,” the minister said at the end of a visit to Santa Cruz Hospital, part of the Lisbon Western Health Unit.
However, Ana Paula Martins noted that babies have always been born in ambulances and will continue to be in certain circumstances because it is not always preventable. “But naturally, this is not our goal in any way,” she stated.
