Baby born with bullet wound after mum shot during road rage attack

An unborn baby that suffered a gunshot wound while inside its mother's tummy is expected to survive after its emergency birth.

A 19-year-old pregnant woman was hit by bullets during a road rage incident on the motorway in Memphis, US on Friday night.

According to the woman's boyfriend, three men inside a dark-coloured Chevrolet Impala began to "ride his bumper", WGN9 reported.

The Chevrolet then pulled up next to the pregnant woman and her boyfriend and started firing several rounds into their car.

As the victims tried to flee, bullets sprayed into the car, hitting the pregnant 19-year-old three times in her right hip.

A baby was delivered with a bullet wound after its mother was shot during an apparent road rage incident. Photo / 123rf

The teen was taken in critical condition to hospital, where she delivered her baby, who was born with injuries and also in critical condition, police said.

Police have not confirmed whether the vehicle was a planned target. Officers have appealed for witnesses, describing one of the suspects as a black male wearing an orange hoodie. They offered no descriptions for the two remaining suspects.

On Wednesday police said the baby is expected to survive.