LOS ANGELES (AP) — It was a honeymoon that Dr. Angelica Zen likely won’t ever forget, and not just because of the romantic Bali vacation.
On her way home to Los Angeles last week, the UCLA physician made her first unassisted delivery of a newborn baby when a passenger suddenly went into labor over the Pacific Ocean.
The China Air flight, which had departed from Taiwan, was diverted to Alaska. Mother and newborn daughter left for a hospital, and the flight continued on to Los Angeles.
“When the baby came out healthy, I was just very relieved,” Zen, back at work at UCLA on Thursday, said laughing.
The fourth-year resident had previously delivered two infants, both under the supervision of more experienced doctors.
“Usually I see adult patients, older patients and pediatric kids,” she said, adding this was “definitely outside of my job description.”
Zen had been trying to catch a little sleep toward the end of her 14-hour connecting flight from Bali last week when she heard an announcement asking if there was adoctor or nurse on board.
“They initially told me it was just a lady having some abdominal pain, so I thought it was going to be something simple,” she told The Associated Press. “But when I saw her she was, like, very pregnant.”
