Diving while pregnant??

[photohikedive]

bummer, they need to get certified

do they use low volume masks?

 

[Sadamune]

Actually, according to what I've read, some cetaceans do suffer from DCS. A cetacean biologist can give you all the details no doubt, but I think deep diving species, e.g. Sperm Whales, can incur DCS injuries if they surface too quickly, even though they are freediving. Given the long durations of some these deep dives, a fast loading tissue can become saturated and pose a risk to the animal if it surfaces in a hurry. Point in case, I've read that barotrauma has been observed during necropsies of various cetaceans that have beached suspiciously after Naval warships blasted the water with sonar.

As to the diving behaviour of pregnant cetaceans, I really don't know, but I wouldn't be surprised if some species exhibit modified dive behaviour during pregnancy. Also, as marine adapted mammals, I suspect there are some features of cetacean physiology that confer some resistance to DCS. Is there a cetacean biologist on the board that can fill in some details?

Sadamune

 

[Dr Deco]

Hello readers :

Bubbles and Cetaceans

It is true that gas bubbles have been found in some organs of cetaceans following beachings. Whether these [apparently] rapid ascents result in true DCS of the type with which divers are familiar, is doubtful. By this is mean, divers think of joint pain (the bends) and neurological problems. I doubt this occurs in diving mammals.

Bubbles and Humans

There is no question that Doppler ultrasound devices show numerous bubbles in humans (coming from muscle and fat tissue) that are apparently harmless. The presence of these is not considered DCS, although some might consider it a sign of “sub clinical DCS.” It is probably bubbles in tissues of the mammals are of this nature.

Dr Deco :doctor:

The next class in Decompression Physiology for 2006 is September 16 – 17. :1book: http://wrigley.usc.edu/hyperbaric/advdeco.htm[/url

 

[DocVikingo]

"J Obstet Gynaecol. 2006 Aug;26(6):509-13

Scuba diving and pregnancy: Can we determine safe limits?

Dowse MS, Gunby A, Moncad R, Fife C, Bryson P.

Diving Diseases Research Centre (DDRC), Hyperbaric Medical Centre, Plymouth, UK.

No human data, investigating the effects on the fetus of diving, have been published since 1989. We investigated any potential link between diving while pregnant and fetal abnormalities by evaluating field data from retrospective study No.1 (1990/2) and prospective study No.2 (1996/2000). Some 129 women reported 157 pregnancies over 1,465 dives. Latest gestational age reported while diving was 35 weeks. One respondent reported 92 dives during a single pregnancy, with two dives to 65 m in the 1st trimester. In study No.2 >90% of women ceased diving in the 1st trimester, compared with 65% in the earlier study. Overall, the women did not conduct enough dives per pregnancy, therefore no significant correlation between diving and fetal abnormalities could be established. These data indicate women are increasingly observing the diving industry recommendation and refraining from diving while pregnant. Field studies are not likely to be useful, or the way forward, for future diving and pregnancy research. Differences in placental circulation between humans and other animals limit the applicability of animal research for pregnancy and diving studies. It is unlikely that the effect of scuba diving on the unborn human fetus will be established."

 

[Reef Man]

Wow....great stuff....It is stimulating to find this kind of information here...I have a daughter and daughter in law that we are trying to get into diving....if they do this is great information as both are in the child bearing years....Thanks for the great info!!!

 

[NataliaIvanova]

Hello Dr Deco!
Was pleased to find so much usefull information on the subject of diving during pregnancy. Just wanted to learn if there are any new results of your researches since 2000 (last discussions on this forum)

I recently done several dives to 18m, and 2 weeks later discovered i'm pregnant. I did not have any bad symptoms.
And perhaps you could suggest if i need to do anything to decrease negative impact, please?

Thank you

 

[drbill]

If I ever find my ultimate dive buddy, I had better exercise caution and not get her pregnant. Not only am I too old for more kids, I'd lose my dive buddy for almost a year and have to return to solo diving!

Seriously (moi?), I do find these topics of interest as well even though they will almost certainly not be relevant to my diving and life. It is good to have such information to point to if other divers ask (and I do dive with some absolutely wonderful women of child-bearing age).

 

[Jennie007]

I have been diving for 5 years, never gotten DCS. Why would I get it now? Pregnant and therefore practicing extra conservative diving?

Same with lung embolies.....

 

[Walter]

Jennie, is diving worth possible harm to your child? You do not have to get bend for your child to have DCS. Bubbles are often filtered out by the lungs preventing us from suffering from DCS. An unborn baby's lungs are not filtering out bubbles.

 

[bladephotog]

Walter, from one of her other posts - "To be honest my life here is worth more to me than the pregnancy. I can get pregnant again/ however I cant travel into my dream country again and build up a life here as a dive instructor with a child."

I think this answers your question.