Woman delivers in auto while on way to hospital

Ludhiana: In an incident which highlights lack of awareness about crucial health services, a pregnant woman delivered a baby in an auto rickshaw before the family could reach the labour room of Khanna Civil Hospital on Friday night.

Hospital authorities shared that the woman and the baby were properly attended to after they came to know about the delivery in the auto.Sources said that the woman, a resident of Avatar Nagar in Khanna, developed labour pain late on Friday night. They added that her husband, Paharu, hired an auto rickshaw from Lalheri Chowk and rushed her to the Civil Hospital instead of calling an ambulance.However, as the auto rickshaw entered the hospital premises and stopped outside the emergency ward, the woman delivered the baby girl inside the vehicle.

Hospital staff reached the spot and shifted the mother and newborn to the labour room in a wheelchair.Paharu added that as he is illiterate, he was unaware of the procedure to avail the 108 ambulance service and therefore opted to take his wife to the hospital in an auto rickshaw. The husband of the woman also claimed that no ASHA worker or health department official was present to assist the family at the time of delivery.

Auto rickshaw driver Gurcharan Singh said he picked up the couple from around 1.5 km away. He added that the woman was lying on the rear seat while her husband sat beside her.“As soon as we entered the hospital gate, she delivered the baby,” he said.Senior Medical Officer Dr Maninder Singh Bhasin said the family did not inform either the 108 ambulance service or an ASHA worker before leaving for the hospital. He suggested that it was a precipitate delivery, meaning the baby was delivered within minutes, and by the time the family could reach the labour room, the baby was already born, so they brought the mother and newborn to them after the delivery.The SMO said that hospital staff responded promptly, shifted the mother and baby to the labour room and provided medical care. He added that both are safe and healthy.Previous such incidents:Jan 2024: In a tragic case for a woman, one of her twin babies, whom she reportedly delivered in an auto rickshaw on the way to the hospital, died shortly after birth, while the second newborn died at the Civil Hospital in Ludhiana.July 2025: A pregnant woman on the way to the Civil Hospital in Ludhiana with her husband in an e-rickshaw delivered a baby in the vehicle. They were near Fountain Chowk when the delivery took place.‘Few Aware Of 108 Service’Health department sources said that the incident highlighted the need for greater public awareness about emergency maternal healthcare services, particularly the 108 ambulance service, and timely coordination with ASHA workers to ensure safe institutional deliveries.Ludhiana: A pregnant woman delivered a baby in an auto rickshaw before thefamily could reach the labour room at the Khanna Civil Hospital on Fridaynight. The hospital authorities shared that the woman and baby wereproperly attended to after they came to know about the delivery of the babyin the rickshaw.Sources said that the woman, a resident of Avatar Nagar on Lalheri Road inKhanna, developed labour pains late on Friday night. They added that herhusband, Paharu, hired an auto rickshaw from Lalheri Chowk and rushed herto the Civil Hospital instead of calling an ambulance.However, as the auto rickshaw entered the hospital premises and stoppedoutside the emergency ward, the woman delivered the baby girl inside thevehicle. Hospital staff reached the spot and shifted the mother and newbornto the labour room in a wheelchair.Paharu said that his wife delivered the baby immediately after entering thehospital. He added that as he is illiterate, he was unaware of theprocedure to avail the 108 ambulance service and therefore opted to takehis wife to the hospital in an auto rickshaw.The husband of the woman also claimed that no ASHA worker or healthdepartment official was present to assist the family at the time ofdelivery.Auto rickshaw driver Gurcharan Singh said he picked up the couple fromaround 1.5 km away. He added that the woman was lying on the rear seatwhile her husband sat beside her.“As soon as we entered the hospital gate, she delivered the baby,” he said.Senior Medical Officer, Khanna Civil Hospital, Dr Maninder Singh Bhasin,said the family did not inform either the 108 ambulance service or an ASHAworker before leaving for the hospital. He suggested that it was aprecipitate delivery, meaning the baby was delivered within minutes, and bythe time the family could reach the labour room, the baby was already born,so they brought the mother and newborn to them after the delivery.SMO said that hospital staff responded promptly, shifted the mother andbaby to the labour room and provided medical care. He added that both aresafe and healthy.