Tennessee woman gives birth to baby boy while hooked up to a ventilator with coronavirus 

Tennessee woman, 30, meets her ‘miracle’ baby boy three weeks after she gave birth while hooked up to a ventilator with coronavirus

  • Emily Brown, 30, was 31 weeks pregnant when she was hospitalized with COVID-19 on September 18 in McMinn County, Tennessee  
  • She was placed in a medically-induced coma and hooked up to a ventilator 
  • Doctors delivered her son Tucker via C-section on September 24
  • Brown’s condition worsened to the point that doctors feared she’d never meet her baby
  • But Brown beat the odds and came out of the coma nearly three weeks later 
  • She said she had no idea she had given birth or how long she was in the hospital
  • This week Brown and her husband finally got to bring baby Tucker home 
  • ‘It’s changed my perspective on life,’ she said of the frightening experience. ‘It teaches you to live life to the fullest’ 

A Tennessee woman who fell gravely ill with coronavirus and was placed on a ventilator woke up three weeks later to learn that she had given birth to a ‘miracle’ baby boy. 

Emily Brown, 30, was 31 weeks pregnant when she was rushed to Erlanger Hospital in McMinn County on September 18 after complaining that she couldn’t breathe due to complications from COVID-19.  

Two days later doctors put Brown in a medically-induced coma and hooked her up to a ventilator, where she remained for 20 days. 

As the mother fought for her life she welcomed a new one, as her son Tucker was delivered via C-section on September 24.  

Brown shared her astonishing story with News Channel 9 this week, saying: ‘It’s changed my perspective on life. It teaches you to live life to the fullest.’ 

Emily Brown, 30, gave birth to her ‘miracle’ baby boy Tucker (pictured together) while she was hooked up to a ventilator due to complications from coronavirus

Brown was 31 weeks pregnant when she was rushed to Erlanger Hospital in McMinn County, Tennessee, on September 18 after complaining that she couldn't breathe due to complications from COVID-19. Three weeks later she woke up to learn she'd given birth to a baby boy

Brown was 31 weeks pregnant when she was rushed to Erlanger Hospital in McMinn County, Tennessee, on September 18 after complaining that she couldn’t breathe due to complications from COVID-19. Three weeks later she woke up to learn she’d given birth to a baby boy

Brown said she had no idea that she had given birth when she woke up from the coma on October 10.

‘I thought I had only been at the hospital for two days and I was actually in the hospital for 32 days,’ she said. 

She said she contracted COVID-19 shortly after her husband and her mother fell ill with the disease, but her bout was much more severe, resulting in a collapsed lung that required a tracheotomy.   

Her condition deteriorated rapidly when she was in the hospital, at one point leading doctors to warn her family that she may not ever get to meet her baby. 

‘We heard once you go on the ventilator you never come off, of course that was a fear,’ her husband Josh Brown told News Channel 9.  

Brown's husband Josh (above together) said he feared his wife would never be able to meet their baby boy when her condition deteriorated in the hospital

Brown’s husband Josh (above together) said he feared his wife would never be able to meet their baby boy when her condition deteriorated in the hospital 

Baby Tucker was held in the intensive care unit for six weeks because he was born premature

Baby Tucker was held in the intensive care unit for six weeks because he was born premature

'It's changed my perspective on life,' Brown said of her son's birth. 'It teaches you to live life to the fullest'

‘It’s changed my perspective on life,’ Brown said of her son’s birth. ‘It teaches you to live life to the fullest’

The first few weeks of her son’s life were challenging as well, as he had to be kept in the intensive care unit for a month and a half because he was born so early. 

Brown was cleared of COVID-19 symptoms and discharged on October 20, but her baby wasn’t ready to leave the doctors’ care yet. 

It wasn’t until this week that Tucker finally got to go home, after spending the first eight weeks of his life in the hospital.      

Brown and her family hope their frightening experience with the virus will serve as a warning to others to take the pandemic seriously. 

‘Wear a mask. I don’t like it either. It’s not enjoyable to have this thing on your face – but it’s far better being in a hospital on a ventilator with your family wondering if you are going to make it or not,’ Brown said.   

Brown smiles alongside one of the doctors who saved her life and her baby

Brown smiles alongside one of the doctors who saved her life and her baby 

Baby Tucker is finally getting to know his family members after getting released from the hospital this week

Baby Tucker is finally getting to know his family members after getting released from the hospital this week

Baby Tucker is finally getting to know his family members after getting released from the hospital this week