PAX ABOARD AN AIR CARRIER WENT INTO LABOR DURING CRUISE. MEDICAL ASSISTANCE WAS OBTAINED; AND AS THE PAX PROGRESSES INTO THE LATER STAGES OF LABOR; AN EMER WAS DECLARED; AND THE FLT DIVERTED.

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WHILE ENRTE TO ZZZ1 I WAS ALERTED BY THE 'A' FLT ATTENDANT AS TO A POSSIBLE MEDICAL EMER OF A PAX. THE PAX WAS APPARENTLY GOING INTO LABOR. 2 PHYSICIANS WERE ON BOARD AND AIDED THE FLT ATTENDANTS. DISPATCH WAS CONTACTED AND A PATCH WAS MADE TO COMPANY MEDICAL. AFTER INFO WAS RELAYED TO MEDICAL; WE WERE ADVISED TO CONTINUE TO ZZZ1. SHORTLY AFTER (ABOUT 10-15 MINS) WE RECEIVED ANOTHER CALL FROM THE FLT ATTENDANT STATING THE PAX WAS GOING INTO FULL LABOR. THE ONBOARD DOCTORS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED AN IMMEDIATE DIVERT OR THE BABY WOULD BE BORN PRIOR TO REACHING ZZZ1. COMPANY MEDICAL WAS CONTACTED A SECOND TIME AND ADVISED OF THE SITUATION AND THAT WE WERE DIVERTING TO ZZZ. THEY CONCURRED. WE DECLARED A MEDICAL EMER WITH CTR AND RECEIVED A CLRNC TO ZZZ; THE NEAREST ARPT WITH MEDICAL FACILITIES. MEDICAL PERSONNEL WERE STANDING BY TO MEET THE ACFT UPON ARR. UPON PARKING AT THE GATE IN ZZZ; THE MEDICAL PERSONNEL BOARDED AND REMOVED THE PAX; WHO WAS IN THE PROCESS OF DELIVERY. AFTER TALKING TO DISPATCH; FLT PLANNING AND FUELING; THE FLT CONTINUED ON TO ZZZ1. ALL CHKLISTS; BRIEFINGS AND COORDS WERE MADE IN ACCORDANCE WITH AIRLINE PROCS. THE FO; FLT ATTENDANTS AND ESPECIALLY THE 2 ONBOARD DOCTORS DID AN OUTSTANDING JOB. THIS WAS THE THIRD TIME I HAVE USED THE SYS. IT CONTINUES TO BE POOR AT BEST. COM IS DIFFICULT; DELAYED AND USUALLY REQUIRES RELAYING INFO THROUGH NUMEROUS PEOPLE (FLT ATTENDANT TO PLT TO MEDICAL) BECAUSE OF VERY POOR COM QUALITY. NUMEROUS FREQ CHANGES OCCURRED AND RE-ESTABLISHMENT OF COM IS DELAYED AND DIFFICULT; RESULTING IN DELAYED TIME TO MAKE DECISIONS. IT ALSO REQUIRES AT LEAST 1 PLT TO DIVERT ALL HIS ATTN TO ESTABLISHING AND MAINTAINING THESE COM LINES OPEN LEAVING THE OTHER TO FLY; NAV; COORD WITH THE CTLING AGENCY -- A 1-MAN COCKPIT. SATPHONES WOULD SOLVE THIS PROB.