A SWEDISH father panicked as his wife gave birth to the couple's third child in the family car en route to the hospital, causing the car to roll over four times.

All survived in good condition.

Mokhles Raheema said his wife was in the passenger seat on Sunday as he was rushing her to a maternity ward in the eastern city of Gavle when she began giving birth.

"She told me, 'she's coming out, she's coming out!''' Raheema told public television on Monday.

"I saw my daughter come out and fall headfirst onto the floor'' of the car, he added.

His eyes left the road, and the car veered into a ditch before rolling over four times, he said.

When the car came to rest, Raheema said his wife was beside him and their other two children, aged one and eight, were in the back seat and conscious, but he could not see the baby.

Finally he spotted her under the passenger seat, "under her mum''.

"I fetched her and held her against me. She was crying,'' Raheema said.

"I feel better. But I hurt all over,'' said the mother, Samaher Mezban.

Emergency workers, alerted by a passing motorist, drove the family to the hospital, all in good condition.

Raheema said he was sorry that he had totalled the car, which belonged to a friend.

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