A woman in Poland is facing jail time after she gave birth to her premature son, who had severe alcohol poisoning at nearly 23 times the drink-drive limit, due to the high liquor levels in his mother's bloodstream.

Surgeons had to perform an emergency c-section after the 24-year-old lady collapsed while buying more alcohol at an off-licence in Tomaszow.

According to hospital spokesman Wojciech Zawalski, the unborn baby was in severe risk of being poisoned to death, the Mirror reported.

He said that when the baby was born with his heart was barely beating and he had 4.5 g alcohol in his bloodstream.

The baby, who was born two weeks premature, is now recovering in an intensive care incubator and is being weened off alcohol.