A Kentucky doctor who was in the hospital preparing to give birth put her own delivery on hold to deliver another woman’s baby after hearing that the child was in distress.

Amanda Hess, an obstetrician-gynecologist from Frankfort, checked into the Frankfort Regional Medical Center as a patient last week, donned a hospital gown, and was moments away from induced labor when she heard a woman in another room wailing in pain, NBC News reported Saturday.

The woman was Leah Halliday Johnson, a pregnant mother who happened to be one of Hess’s patients. Nurses told Hess that Halliday Johnson’s baby was coming far faster than expected, and that the umbilical cord was wrapped loosely around the child’s neck, Halliday Johnson told People.com Sunday. The on-call doctor had left the hospital for a break, and they needed immediate help.

That’s when Hess jumped in.

‘‘I just put on another gown to cover up my backside and put on some boots over my shoes, to keep from getting any fluid and all that stuff on me, and went down to her room,’’ Hess told WKYT.

‘‘I had actually taken a call the day before, so I thought really that I was working up to the last minute,’’ she added in an interview with LEX 18. ‘‘But this was literally to the last second. I said you know, I’m not on call, I’m here in a gown, but I think we ought to have the baby.’’ she said.

Nurses had been urging Halliday Johnson not to push, but the pain was getting worse, she told People.com on Sunday.

‘‘I was not being quiet about the fact that it was difficult for me not to push,’’ Halliday Johnson said.

Halliday Johnson gave birth to a baby girl, according to NBC.

Shortly after, the on-call doctor arrived and took over. Her work in Halliday Johnson’s room done, Hess went back down the hall. Later that night, she too gave birth to a baby girl.

‘‘Pretty amazing, what she did,’’ Halliday Johnson said. ‘‘I feel very lucky she was there and the type of person she is and to step up to do what she did. We really appreciate her.’’

WASHINGTON POST