WASHINGTON - US President Barack Obama's last White House press conference of 2016 was briefly interrupted when a female reporter fell ill.

"I'm sorry, what's going on? Somebody's not feeling good?" he asked when he noticed a commotion in the packed press briefing room.

He was answering a question about Syria and foreign policy when the medical emergency took place, reports said.

He requested that the White House doctor be called. The woman was then escorted out of the room and taken to the doctor's office.

"You guys know where the doctor's office is?" Mr Obama asked, as he gave instructions on how to get there.

The first family later flew to Hawaii for their Christmas vacation.