A baby delivered by C-section after the child's mother was repeatedly stabbed has died in a Montreal hospital.

Police arrested the woman's husband, the primary suspect in the stabbing, not far from the apartment building where she was attacked. The man could face murder charges, according to police spokesperson Cmdr. Michael Chartrand.

The man's name has not been released.

Police were called around 2:30 a.m. ET Monday about the stabbing, which occurred inside a unit at a building in the Montreal North neighbourhood.

The 33-year-old woman, who was about seven to eight months pregnant, was alone with her husband at their home on Langelier Boulevard when she was stabbed, police said.

The woman was taken to hospital, where her child was born early this morning. The baby was initially listed in critical condition, but was reported to have died around noon ET. The baby's sex has not been revealed.

Police are hoping to speak with the woman, who is in hospital in stable condition, in the next couple of hours.

Police allege that around 4:30 a.m. ET, the woman's husband went into a convenience store about 10 kilometres away from the apartment building and threatened a clerk.

Woman had called police hours before

According to police, the woman was at home on Langelier Street in Montreal North when she was stabbed numerous times in the upper and lower body early Monday morning. (Kate McKenna/CBC)

Fearful for the safety of herself and the couple's two children, the woman had called police and was advised to leave her home hours before she was stabbed.

Const. Jean-Pierre Brabant said the woman called police between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. ET Sunday. Her husband wasn't home at the time.

When officers arrived at the apartment, they strongly suggested the woman leave her home with the two children and go stay with relatives, Brabant said.

It is unclear where the children were sent, but the woman opted to return to her home. According to police, at some point during the night, her husband returned to the apartment.

No one else was in the apartment when the stabbing occurred.

The suspect is scheduled to appear in court Tuesday.

Victim knocked on neighbour's door

Neighbour Noella Bernier said she heard noise early Monday morning, and looked out the window to see the woman's partner leaving their home.

Soon after, Bernier said, the woman knocked on her door, crying.

"She was hurt, full of blood everywhere, lots of blood in her stomach area," she said.

Noella Bernier lives in the same building as the victim and said she has heard arguing in the unit before. (Radio-Canada) Bernier said the woman's clothes were full of holes. She called 911.

Bernier also said she has heard the couple arguing and children crying inside the home in the past.