Pregnant woman wanted to give birth at a music festival but instead had her baby on the flight there – now her family are wondering what on earth she was thinking

A woman who gave birth mid-flight has been blasted by her own family for boarding the plane knowing she was already in labour.

Maori woman, Anneke Topia, 35, was on a short Air New Zealand flight from Auckland to New Plymouth to attend a popular festival when she gave birth within an hour of take-off.

But according to Ms Topia’s aunt, the mother-of-five from Christchurch had been in labour for 12 hours prior to the flight, – a claim that she hid from airline staff while potentially putting her unborn baby at risk.

The relative claimed that Ms Topia was on her way to the Maori Haka festival Te Matatini where she planned to give birth and bragged about the ordeal hours later.

She told the New Zealand Herald that her niece posted Facebook after giving birth that she actually went into labour about 3am last Wednesday.

An Air New Zealand spokesperson confirmed a passenger remained on board to receive medical attention flight landed in New Plymouth last Wednesday afternoon. 

Emergency services also confirmed they responded to the medical callout.

‘One ambulance attended and two patients were transported to Taranaki Base Hospital in a moderate condition,’ a St John spokesperson said.

Maori woman Anneke Topia, 35, was on a short Air New Zealand flight from Auckland to New Plymouth heading when she gave birth mid-air

A relative claimed the mother-of-five was on her way to the Maori Haka festival Te Matatini, where she planned to give birth

Ms Topia posted photos to her Instagram at the festival hours later.

Her aunt claimed she did not know why Ms Topia wanted to give birth at the festival that attracts crowds of 15,000 but claimed her niece did it to ‘get attention’.

‘Why would you put your child’s health at risk, the birth of your baby at risk, by doing that stunt? I just don’t know,’ she said.

Ms Topia confirmed she and the baby were ‘well and healthy’ but declined to comment further.

‘I don’t need a say, I was there,’ she told Daily Mail Australia on Thursday.

But in reply to comments on news articles about not being honest with the airline about being in labour she wrote ‘I wasn’t telling them that though.’

Social media users were quick to condemn Ms Topia’s actions.

Many were baffled as to how she managed to conceal it.

Anneke Topia told Daily Mail Australia that both she and the baby were ‘well and healthy’

The Aunt thinks the plan to give birth at the festival was for attention 

‘Stupid and irresponsible putting the child’s life at risk,’ one wrote.

‘I didn’t think you were allowed to fly after so many weeks gestation?’ questioned another.’

When and how long you can fly while pregnant depends on how far along you are.

The Air New Zealand website states that ‘for a single baby with an uncomplicated pregnancy and clearance, you can board flights under four hours, up to the end of the 40th week.’

Most pregnancies last 40 weeks.