It's impossible to compare the risk of driving vs freediving while pregnant, since there are millions (billions?) of passenger miles driven by pregnant women, and so far, we only know of one woman who went freediving while pregnant.
What you say regarding freediving simply is not true and to me indicates frank torpor in pursuing both science and meaningful debate here.
Since you made this assertion, the ball of support is in your court. But, I'll briefly note that the ama divers of Japan, who've been diving for shellfish off the coast of Japan at depths of 10'-60' for ~1,500 years, routinely freedive
throughout pregnancy, e.g.,
http://www.healthline.com/health-blogs/fitness-fixer/japanese-ama-divers-cold-clothing-and-children, and guess what? -->
[abstract] PREGNANCY AND BREATH-HOLD AMA DIVERS. ("There is no obvious ill effect of breath-hold diving on pregnancy as far as ama divers are concerned.")
Additionally, you somehow have omitted mention of the relevant numbers we have on SCUBA while pregnant, a recreation that for numerous theoretical reasons poses far greater physiological risk to the developing fetus than does freediving. And, while I do not recommend SCUBA while pregnant out of prudence, I must say that I do not find the research to date unduly worrisome. For example, the most recent comprehensive article on the topic,
http://ddrc.info/research/docs/mstld_jog_2006.pdf, in part states:
However, in our data there was no apparent association between deep dives and fetal abnormalities, and many women in this study were diving across all categories of depths and reported no problems with the pregnancy or the outcome.
In closing, in support of the individual decision position, Ill point out that the above cited research from the prestigious
Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, concludes: It is unlikely that the effect of scuba diving on the unborn human fetus will be established.
Since fetuses can't talk, you need to assume that they would not request developmental conditions that might cause damage.
You know what they say about assuming, don't you, flots? ; )
Regards,
DocVikingo
---------- Post added May 2nd, 2012 at 05:36 AM ----------
If Maria-Teresa Solomons jumped off a bridge... fetus.DDM
Do you really find this remark meaningful in the pursuit of the best medical approximation of the truth in this debate over a rather serious issue?
...would it be prudent for a pregnant woman to subject her developing fetus to the hypoxia and hypercapnia encountered in extreme/competitive free diving?
Perhaps I've missed something here, but where is it stated that the diver being inquired about intends to engage in extreme/competitive freediving?
Regards,
DocV