Janet Silvera, Senior Gleaner Writer

WESTERN BUREAU:

The premature baby born in mid-air on an American Airlines flight en route from Guayaquil, Ecuador to Miami, Florida, last Thursday, has died of complications of the lungs, highly placed sources at the Cornwall Regional Hospital (CRH) in Montego Bay have told The Sunday Gleaner.

"The baby's lungs were underdeveloped and about 12 a.m. this morning (Saturday), he developed complications and died," the source said.

Tipping the scale at 1.25 kilos (3lb 1oz), the baby, born to 19-year-old, Ecuadorean, Ninoshka Ortíz, was born at 29 weeks of gestation, and was under treatment at the Intensive Care Unit at the hospital nursery.

'It was very painful'

Ortíz, who was still being housed at the MoBay Hope Diagnostic Centre in Rose Hall, said she saw the baby for the second time since he was born, "And I felt hurt seeing him in such a dangerous state. Just looking at a part of me, helpless and ill, was very painful."

Ortíz said her pain was lessened by the tremendous care and attention she received from the nurses at MoBay Hope and American Airlines country manager, Yvonne Pearson.

"I am very pleased with the treatment by the airline. Mrs Pearson made sure that the baby had clothing and I had all the necessary items required by a new mother."

The American Airlines plane on which the child was born was diverted to the Sangster International Airport, Montego Bay, after Ortíz went into labour in mid-air, "Approximately three hours after departure," Ortíz estimated.

"I felt like I was having menstrual cramps initially, but the pain became more severe, getting stronger and stronger," she related, adding that she was not aware that she was pregnant.

Unidentified midwife

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

The Ecuadorean teenager, who was awaiting the arrival of a relative from New York late yesterday afternoon, will remain in Jamaica until a post-mortem is conducted on the baby's body.