A British woman’s holiday in Spain took an unexpected and alarming turn when she gave birth prematurely during a widespread power outage affecting the Spanish mainland. The incident occurred around 3am at the four-star Puente Real hotel in Torremolinos, located on the Costa del Sol.

The woman, in her early twenties and 30 weeks pregnant, arrived at the hotel’s reception after her waters had broken. Full-term pregnancy is usually considered to be 40 weeks, making her delivery highly premature. The hotel staff attempted to summon a taxi and contact the ambulance service by calling 061, but the situation escalated too quickly for emergency services to arrive in time.

The young mother ended up giving birth in the garden at the hotel entrance. The newborn initially showed signs of asphyxia, exhibiting no pulse and a purple coloration. In a critical moment, the hotel receptionist, with guidance from medical experts over the phone, administered CPR to the newborn until the baby began to cough and show signs of recovery.

A spokesman from a regional government emergency services coordination centre confirmed the details of the event in a statement, saying: "A British woman gave birth to a premature baby near reception at the Puente Real hotel in Torremolinos during the early hours of this morning in the midst of the crisis caused by the blackout on the Spanish mainland. The receptionist of the establishment assisted her and even performed CPR on the newborn, who had no pulse."

Following the birth, both mother and baby were transferred to the nearby Hospital Materno Infantil. The baby remains in critical condition due to the premature birth and initial complications. The large-scale power outage that contributed to the difficulties during this emergency left millions across Spain without electricity, affecting response times for emergency services.

This event highlights the challenges faced during critical emergencies amid infrastructural disruptions, with the hotel staff's quick thinking playing a vital role in the newborn's initial resuscitation. The Express is reporting on these developments as authorities continue to manage the effects of the blackout across Spanish regions.

Source: Noah Wire Services