Baby born in ambulance marks surge in Portugal's pre-hospital births

A baby was born inside an ambulance on Apelação Street in Loures early on Monday morning. The mother and child were both in good health after the delivery. This is the latest in a growing number of pre-hospital births across Portugal this year. The birth took place at 5:56 a.m. while the ambulance was on its way to Santa Maria Hospital. Volunteer firefighters from Camarate assisted with the delivery before the vehicle reached its destination. Once at the hospital, the mother and newborn were transferred to medical staff for further care.

Since January, over ten babies have been born outside hospitals in the Lisbon and Central regions alone. In 2025, more than 270 such births have been recorded nationwide. The trend of pre-hospital deliveries has been rising steadily in recent months. No official data explains why these cases are increasing or how they compare to previous years. However, the number of births occurring before reaching medical facilities continues to climb.

The latest ambulance birth adds to a noticeable rise in pre-hospital deliveries this year. With over 270 recorded cases in 2025, emergency services remain prepared to assist in such situations. Both the mother and child from Monday's delivery are reported to be doing well.