Diving while pregnant

[kilika]

There is a chance that I might be pregnant. I am almost certified and am questioning whether or not I should continue my certification. The only thing I can find about diving while pregnant is that no one really know the repercussions, so don't try it. Is there anyone out there that has been in my situation? I don't want to miss out on my certification, but I also don't want to cause any complications. Obviously, this was an unexpected pregnancy, otherwise I wouldn't have started the certification process. Any information/advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[spectrum]

There is a chance that I might be pregnant. I am almost certified and am questioning whether or not I should continue my certification. The only thing I can find about diving while pregnant is that no one really know the repercussions, so don't try it. Is there anyone out there that has been in my situation? I don't want to miss out on my certification, but I also don't want to cause any complications. Obviously, this was an unexpected pregnancy, otherwise I wouldn't have started the certification process. Any information/advice would be greatly appreciated.

This has been covered over and again in the womans form, a quick search will provide a few hours reading. I'll refrain from offering a conclusion because I'm less than qualified in more way than one!

Pete

 

[Warren_L]

I would suggest that you not risk it - and that happens to be the official stance as well for the various agencies. True, not much is known about it, but from the various things I've heard (and I am no authority on any of this so this is purely heresay, so take it for what it's worth), one of the concerns is the ability of the fetus to clear nitrogen since it does not breathe with lungs, it may be more difficult to do so efficiently, with potentially higher risk of DCS. And I'm sure there are a number of other possible reasons.

 

[mart1]

There is a chance that I might be pregnant. I am almost certified and am questioning whether or not I should continue my certification. The only thing I can find about diving while pregnant is that no one really know the repercussions, so don't try it. Is there anyone out there that has been in my situation? I don't want to miss out on my certification, but I also don't want to cause any complications. Obviously, this was an unexpected pregnancy, otherwise I wouldn't have started the certification process. Any information/advice would be greatly appreciated.

First of all: congratulations!
About diving while prgnant:
I once talked to a doctor who had a very convincing argument: a large number of pregnancies ends with a miscarriage. If this happens to you you don't want to spend the rest of your life asking yourself if your diving had anything to do with this.
Hope this helps

mart

 

[H2Andy]

this is about as authoritative and concise answer to your question as you're
likely to find on this board:

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?threadid=167

also, check out Chickdiver's answer (post number 4) on this thread:

http://www.scubaboard.com/t44212-diving-during-pregnancy.html

 

[RonFrank]

My opinion as a ScubaBoard moderator...

Stop the certification process. Talk to your Dive Shop, tell them the situation, and plan on continuing the Certification once your either confirm that you are NOT pregnant, or have the baby.

I LOVE to dive. But if it came down to my child, or diving... well I'd step in front of a bullet to save my son (and I'm NOT kidding).

So what's it about... diving, it's fun, challanging, exciting. Offspring, what just about every creature on this planet is working towards...

IMO, no option.. stop diving

Ron

 

[Damselfish]

A friend of mine found she was pregnant in the middle of AOW and stopped. She would have made no other choice. (Finally got around to finishing years later.)