On Sunday, September 1st, at around 5:30 am, the CRS of Gavarnie, in the Hautes-Pyrénées, were alerted that a woman was giving birth in the mountains, at an altitude of 1,700 meters. The mother-to-be, aged 19, was seven and a half months pregnant. She had come from New Caledonia with her family for a several-day hike in the Pyrenees.
The birth was not expected right away and she had probably thought that there was little risk. But, as our colleagues at La Voix du Nord report, the first contractions came while she was sleeping in her tent… Fortunately for her, the group of seven hikers was equipped with a satellite phone. It was thanks to it that they were able to call for help. Except that the weather was not very good on Sunday morning. The CRS helicopter was unable to take off. So three rescuers set off on foot to reach the family as quickly as possible.
“It was cold, it was raining”
When they arrived, two hours after the call, they were able to reach the family and… a newborn. Our colleagues at France Bleu report that the father had the right reflexes, lit a fire and boiled water. When we arrived, the baby was already born under a tarpaulin.”testifies Brigadier-Chief Pierre Foltier on RTL. One of her friends was an ambulance driver, so she helped her deliver the baby. »
It was cold and rainy. There was a risk of hypothermia for the baby and hemorrhage for the mother.
The rescuer nevertheless points out that the situation could have been dramatic. It was cold and rainy. There was a risk of hypothermia for the baby and hemorrhage for the mother. “, he explains. According to him, it was a ” dangerous behavior ». « When you are more than seven months pregnant, you are taking big risks for yourself and the unborn baby. ” he said again. The baby, named Chris, weighs 2.5 kilos. His life is not in danger.
Even though everything ended well in this case, the presence of the young woman in such an adventure, while she was seven months pregnant, is controversial. If nothing prevents a pregnant woman from doing sports, caution is still required, especially at altitude, where oxygen is less…
