Janet Silvera, Senior Gleaner Writer

MoBay Hope's nurse, Theresia Harvey, attends to new mother, Ecuadorean Ninoshka Ortíz, who gave birth to a baby boy on-board an American Airlines flight, which had to be diverted to Montego Bay on Thursday. - Photo by Janet Silvera

WESTERN BUREAU:

A prEmature baby boy, born on an American Airlines (AA) flight en route from Guayaquil, Ecuador, to Miami, Florida, Thursday afternoon, remains in critical but stable condition at the Cornwall Regional Hospital (CRH) in Montego Bay, St James.

Weighing 1.25 kilos (3 lb 1 oz), the baby, born to 19-year-old Ninoshka Ortíz, at 29 weeks of pregnancy, was under treatment in the intensive care unit at the hospital nursery, a highly placed source at the CRH told The Gleaner.

Assisted in delivery

The AA plane on which the baby was born was diverted to the Sangster International Airport, Montego Bay, after Ortíz went into labour in mid-air, approximately three hours after departure.

"I felt like I was having menstrual cramps initially, but the pain became more severe, getting stronger and stronger," the new mother told The Gleaner through Honorary Consul to Peru, Paola Byles, who has been helping out as interpreter throughout the ordeal. Ortíz said she was not aware she was pregnant.

According to Ortíz, Dr Michael Haakes, a passenger on-board, and an unidentified woman, who seemed quite experienced in midwifery, assisted in the delivery.

Even more interesting, she said, were the reactions of the other passengers on the aircraft.

"Everybody was saying, 'It's a baby! It's a miracle! That's an angel,' " said Ortíz.

Commenting on the unusual occurrence, Minnette Velez, American Airlines' corporate communications spokesperson, said immediately after the aircraft landed in Montego Bay, both baby and mother were transferred via ambulance to MoBay Hope Diagnostic Centre in Rose Hall. The baby was later moved to the CRH.

"Because of the fact he was in a premature condition, one of our doctors, paediatrician Dr Tracey Gilbert, recommended that he be transferred to the public hospital," said Judy Farmer, administrator at MoBay Hope.

She said the mother remained overnight and was under observation.

"The nurses here were phenomenal. Nurse Theresia Harvey accompanied the baby to CRH," said Farmer.

Awaiting family

At news time, the 19-year-old, alone in a strange country, was awaiting the arrival of her brother from New York City.

"His flight was cancelled, I was told," said Ortíz, looking innocently into the cameras. She also was not certain when she would get to the CRH to see the baby she admitted she "wasn't prepared for".

She said: "When my mother found out on the phone that I had a baby, she cried. But she has since told me that everything will be OK, she will help me with the baby."

janet.silvera@gleanerjm.com