At about 6am on September 18, a 28-year-old woman and newly-born baby were taken to the emergency ward of the Huế University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital, in Huế City by a taxi driver.

The female taxi driver, Trần Thị Như Băng, 46, residing in Hương Sơ Ward, Huế City, told doctors that she helped the pregnant woman give birth in the taxi.    

Two hours later, the health of the woman N.T.L, residing in Tân Dương, Thuận An Town, Phú Vang District, Thừa Thiên – Huế Province, and her baby was stable, the hospital reported.

Băng said she picked up the pregnant woman from her home when she urgently needed to get to the hospital as her labour had begun.

Only 5km into the journey, the woman complained of constant pain and it became clear that she could not wait to deliver the baby until they reached the hospital.

Realising the situation, Băng made pulled over and together with a relative of the pregnant women in the taxi, helped them deliver the baby.

Due to Storm Noul, the rain was lashing down amid high winds as they delivered the baby.

There are many cases where a baby arrives before its due date and mothers giving birth in a taxi on their way to the hospital are not unheard of.

Somehow, though, it seems to keep happening to drivers for Mai Linh Taxi, as the company set a record for the taxi brand to have delivered the most babies during rides in Asia, according to the Asia Book of Records.

From its foundation to June 30 this year, Mai Linh Taxi recorded a total of 194 occasions where its drivers helped passengers to deliver their babies in its vehicles.

Perhaps Mai Linh Taxi should start recruiting midwives as drivers. —VNS