A WOMAN WHO was nine months pregnant died after she was knocked down on a busy road on Sunday in Spain but local paramedics were able to save the life of her unborn child by performing an emergency caesarean section.

Khadija el Haddad, 26, died at the scene where she was hit by a car at Collado Villalba, 25 miles from Madrid. Paramedics arrived at the scene moments after the accident, but foud that Haddad had suffered lethal head injuries, The Guardian reports.

Unable to save her, the paramedics brought her body to the ambulance and performed an emergency caesarean section in the hope of saving her unborn child.

Paramedics then delivered the seven-pound baby boy by caesarean; he had suffered some oxygen loss but they were able to get him breathing.

The baby is now in the neonatal intensive care unit at Puerta del Hierro hospital in Madrid.

A member of the family told journalists:

They have told us that the child is fighting for his life. He is in a serious condition, but the doctors have said they are doing all they can to save his life.

Rachid Jahah, the child’s father was reportedly able to see his son briefly. The boy has been given the name chosen by his mother, Mouad.

Today arrangements are being made for the returning of Khadija el Haddad’s body to her hometown of Targuist, in Morocco.