Race against time: How Dubai doctors saved pregnant crash victim, unborn child

A swift, coordinated response by doctors at NMC Royal Hospital DIP in the early hours of Thursday helped save the life of a 30-year-old pregnant woman and her unborn child after a hit-and-run crash left her with catastrophic internal injuries.

Aastha Kanwar, an Indian media professional who was 34 weeks pregnant, had been struck by a car that fled the scene late Wednesday night in Arjan, Dubailand, while she was out for a walk with her husband Ojasvi Gautam near their home. She was rushed to hospital in a critical condition after sustaining multiple injuries, including severe internal bleeding.

Recalling the moments after the crash, Ojasvi said he saw her being flung several metres into the air and feared that both his wife and their unborn child would not survive.

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Within hours, doctors at NMC Royal Hospital DIP were battling to stabilise the woman in an emergency operation that carried ‘extraordinary risks’

“Before dawn at around 3am, a swift multidisciplinary team had responded to a severe trauma resulting in massive internal bleeding with liver and splenic damage,” said Dr Samir Rahmani, Consultant Bariatric and General Surgeon at the hospital, who led the emergency surgery.

“This helped to save both a mother and her unborn child. The case reflects the power of teamwork, preparedness, and timely intervention.”

Doctors said the surgery was exceptionally high risk given the advanced stage of pregnancy and the extent of internal injuries, requiring rapid decisions to stabilise the mother while ensuring the safety of the fetus.

“Despite the severity of the trauma, both the uterus and fetus remained unharmed, which is remarkable at 34 weeks of pregnancy,” said Dr Manjula Reddy, Consultant Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

“Prompt surgical intervention and careful obstetric management have helped stabilise the mother, and both are progressing well under close monitoring.”

The patient remains under intensive care as doctors continue to closely monitor her recovery and the wellbeing of the unborn child.

Dubai Police are investigating the hit-and-run incident; no further details were available at the time of publication.