Healthy baby born in Germany to woman in coma

A 40-year-old woman who fell into a coma in the 13th week of her pregnancy delivered a healthy baby 22 weeks later in a Bavarian hospital, German broadcaster Bayerischer Rundfunk reported on Friday.

She suffered a heart attack and fell into a coma early in her pregnancy. The University Clinic in Erlangen said it was the first time that a woman in a persistent vegetative state was able to deliver a healthy baby, the broadcaster said. The baby is now 1-1/2 years old, it said.

It quoted Matthias Beckmann, a director at the hospital, saying: "We wanted to keep the spectacular case secret for as long as possible to demonstrate that we're not experimenting on people and that the child is still healthy."

The hospital had no comment and it was not clear whether the mother remained in a coma or whether the baby had been delivered naturally or by caesarean section. Other German media reports said a news conference was scheduled for next Wednesday.