An Irish couple who lost their unborn child last year welcomed the birth of their new baby girl with the help of new robot technology, according to the Independent.

Anne and Patrick O'Mahony's daughter Lucy was born at Cork University Maternity Hospital (CUMH) on Thursday morning.

The couple are the first in Europe to benefit from the use of the da Vinci Surgical System, a robotic device which enables surgeons to perform complex surgery using a minimally invasive approach.

"I'm just delighted really. Words can't describe how I'm feeling at the moment," said Patrick(35), a carpenter. "I was a bit nervous and apprehensive but now I'm just delighted we have this little angel with us."

In February of last year, the couple lost their first baby Dylan, five months into the pregnancy. Consultant Dr. Barry O'Reilly found that Anne (33) had a weak cervix, putting her at a much higher risk for a miscarriage.

In the past, doctors would handle the problem with a cervical stitch, an invasive procedure that requires the patient to remain in hospital for five days and can take up to three months of recovery. But with the da Vinci robot, the patient is usually discharged within 24 hours and can be back to 'normality' within a week, according to Dr. O'Reilly.

CUMH has been designated as Europe's first Robotic Gynaecological Epicentre and is the only hospital in Europe to perform the procedure using sophisticated robotics.

"We lost baby Dylan in February of 2010 and we met with Dr. Reilly a few weeks later and he explained to us that this procedure was available in Cork," said Anne, an accountant from Donoughmore, Co Cork.

"It gave us a lot of hope because obviously when we lost Dylan you'd be worried that you may not have a healthy baby," she added.

Said Dr O'Reilly: "With the robot there is a very small incision and we can operate with great precision. It's amazing technology."

After Anne had the procedure, she became pregnant with Lucy. The pregnancy was full term.

"This is a great day, I'm absolutely delighted," said Dr. O'Reilly. "This was a very difficult time last year for obvious reasons. What the da Vinci has allowed us to do is prolong this pregnancy to this stage where little Lucy has been born healthy and well.

"I'm absolutely delighted, this is a great day for us in Cork and this is obviously the way of the future for women who have problems like this," he said.