A woman gave birth in an Uber on her way to São Francisco Xavier Hospital last night, shortly after being discharged from the same facility. The Western Lisbon Local Health Unit assured Notícias ao Minuto that the treatment she received “followed the established protocol.”
The woman had been admitted to the São Francisco Xavier Hospital’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Emergency Service, referred by Saúde 24, on Tuesday afternoon around 5:00 PM.
The Local Health Unit stated, “As it was determined that the woman was not in labor and because she lived nearby (in Damaia), she was discharged around 8:00 PM after being informed about warning signs and advised to return if they appeared.” The pregnant woman ended up giving birth “about two hours later.”
However, the TVDE driver relayed a slightly different version to Correio da Manhã. According to the newspaper, the birth occurred in Loures, and the woman was discharged about half an hour earlier.
Henrique Mota, the Uber driver, explained that he was transporting the pregnant woman back to São Francisco Xavier Hospital—a journey “of about ten minutes”—when, “midway through the trip,” she asked him to stop the car.
“It’s going to be born,” the woman reportedly shouted. “I was apprehensive, and suddenly, I heard crying,” Henrique recounted.
Upon arriving at the hospital, a team calmly assisted the mother and baby. “No stretcher came; a stretcher was brought to wrap the child, and the mother went behind, still with the placenta,” the driver also mentioned.
According to Henrique, the woman had been at the hospital “about half an hour” prior but was discharged. When he picked up the woman and her companions, her husband and sister, Henrique did not realize that labor had already started.
Henrique eventually spoke with the father, who assured him that mother and baby were doing well. “It was a big scare, but I tried to stay calm and get to the hospital as quickly as possible,” the driver concluded.
“It bothers us a lot”
On Wednesday, the Minister of Health was questioned about the case that emerged publicly. Ana Paula Martins deferred explanations to the Western Lisbon Local Health Unit.
“It bothers us a lot that these situations happen, but regarding this situation—as with others similar to it—I am obliged to defer the explanation of this case and situation to the respective Local Health Unit and not make any kind of comment,” she said.
The head of the Health Ministry, Ana Paula Martins, refused to say whether she had offered her resignation to the Prime Minister and defended that she “does not feel” she has failed in cases involving pregnant women.
Ana Teresa Banha with Lusa | 14:14 – 12/11/2025
