Under 3 lbs and 2 months early but flying high
Someday, if Jadan Brown were to be asked his birthplace, his answer would probably be “66? north, 100? west – about 850 nautical miles north of the city of Edmonton, Canada, and 450 miles northeast of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada – at an altitude of 37,000 feet.” This was according to Korean Airline pilot manning the cockpit at the time of his birth – May 28, 2008, 4:57 p.m. EDT.
Jadan certainly knew how to make his entrance into the world in style. He was born 2 months early when his Mom went into labor on the flight back to the US after his parents’ vacation in the Philippines. He is lucky that his Dad is up to the task of helping his mom during the delivery. He was an Emergency Medical Technician while serving in the U.S. Coast Guard.
Jadan weighed under 3 lbs but he survived the 3.5 hours remaining flight time without oxygen or incubator. Upon landing in NewYork, mother and child were immediately whisked to the hospital. Jadan has to stay a little longer in the hospital till the doctors give him a clean bill of health.
Meanwhile, Jadan’s citizenship needs to be sorted out. Apart from being American like his parents, it could be that he is entitled to a Canadian as well as Korean citizenship
The issue of flying while pregnant has always been controversial. According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), women carrying singleton are allowed to fly until the end of the 36th week and those carrying multiples until the end of the 32nd week as long as no complications are expected. “A letter from a doctor or midwife confirming good health and expected date of delivery should be carried beyond the 28th week of pregnancy. Medical clearance is required for pregnant women if delivery is expected less than 4 weeks after the departure date or if any complications in delivery may be expected.”
However, in the end, it’s the airline’s decision whether to let a pregnant woman fly. Jadan’s mom certainly had clearance from her doctor and Korean Airlines let her fly. But a pregnancy is always full of surprises (both good and bad) that no doctor or any airline guideline can all cover. Let’s hope that all airborne deliveries will have a happy ending (and landing) like Jadan and his family.
Source: MSNBC 4 June 2008
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