B747-400 crew had a passenger go into labor in foreign airspace near cyqd.

Attributes
ACN	521120
Time
Date	200108
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : czwg.artcc
State Reference	MB
Altitude	msl single value : 37000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : czwg.artcc tower : abi.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B747-400
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time type : 1305
ASRS Report	521120
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : relief pilot flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time type : 1644
ASRS Report	520914
Events
Anomaly	cabin event other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : 8-7
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist controller : issued new clearance none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Passenger Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Passenger Human Performance

Narrative:

On break, first officer's called me to say we had a female passenger going into labor. They had already called dispatch. Purser used in-flight telephone to talk with medical. The doctor's opinion was that she still had 6-8 hours before giving birth. I made a all to dispatch and the decision was to continue to ord. By now I took time to review the master flight plan and didn't see any redispatch information. The relief first officer's confirmed that they hadn't received it. I requested it from dispatch and received it shortly after. Our dispatcher was already busy with another medical emergency before ours and was getting help from another dispatcher. It appears that the first officer's were involved with the medical incident for some time before calling me and with dispatch working another emergency, the redispatch got overlooked. Flight continued to ord with lifeguard designation. Paramedics met the flight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B747-400 CREW HAD A PAX GO INTO LABOR IN FOREIGN AIRSPACE NEAR CYQD.

Narrative: ON BREAK, FO'S CALLED ME TO SAY WE HAD A FEMALE PAX GOING INTO LABOR. THEY HAD ALREADY CALLED DISPATCH. PURSER USED INFLT TELEPHONE TO TALK WITH MEDICAL. THE DOCTOR'S OPINION WAS THAT SHE STILL HAD 6-8 HRS BEFORE GIVING BIRTH. I MADE A ALL TO DISPATCH AND THE DECISION WAS TO CONTINUE TO ORD. BY NOW I TOOK TIME TO REVIEW THE MASTER FLT PLAN AND DIDN'T SEE ANY REDISPATCH INFO. THE RELIEF FO'S CONFIRMED THAT THEY HADN'T RECEIVED IT. I REQUESTED IT FROM DISPATCH AND RECEIVED IT SHORTLY AFTER. OUR DISPATCHER WAS ALREADY BUSY WITH ANOTHER MEDICAL EMER BEFORE OURS AND WAS GETTING HELP FROM ANOTHER DISPATCHER. IT APPEARS THAT THE FO'S WERE INVOLVED WITH THE MEDICAL INCIDENT FOR SOME TIME BEFORE CALLING ME AND WITH DISPATCH WORKING ANOTHER EMER, THE REDISPATCH GOT OVERLOOKED. FLT CONTINUED TO ORD WITH LIFEGUARD DESIGNATION. PARAMEDICS MET THE FLT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.