Pregnancy and Diving

[Jo]

As a Diving Instructor, also female and wishing to have a family, can anyone help me with information about diving when pregant.

I know all the agencies say no, never. BUT has anyone continued to dive into their pregancy? Is there any proof that diving can harm the child?

I would be very interested to hear from any diving mothers who have or have not continued to dive while pregant.

 

[Rick Murchison]

My sister dove when pregnant. Baby was dangerously premature. All worked out ok in the long run, but it was very touchy for awhile. We have no way to know whether the diving had anything to do with it. She has had two full term pregnancies since then.
The chief concern with diving when pregnant involves the possibility of a DCS hit requiring treatment. The possible damage to the fetus from a table 6 treatment due to oxygen toxicity is unknown but potentially disastrous - blindness etc.
Don't dive when pregnant.
Rick

 

[BillP]

Hi Jo:

This question comes up periodically. Our own Dr. Deco has even published some research in the area. Check out a thread in the "Ask Dr. Decompression" section at http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?threadid=167 .

Take care,

Bill

 

[jenmichigan]

Originally posted by Jo

I would be very interested to hear from any diving mothers who have or have not continued to dive while pregant.
If you wish to keep you views private please send me an e-mail.

Hi Jo,

I have a two year old. I quit diving during my pregnancy due to all of the concerns the agency's and doctors gave me. I just couldn't take the risk for those few dives that I missed. Although being an instructor makes the diving more important and possibly a necessity for you. If at all possible I wouldn't. Even if there was an unrelated problem you might always wonder if it was the diving. If you live somewhere where the diving is seasonal (like Michigan) you can plan to be pregnant during the off season months maybe. Just a thought. I'm not a doctor this is just my experience.

Good Luck,
Jennifer
http://www.MichiganShipwrecks.com

 

[scubadoc]

Hello Jo:

One of the most frequent questions people ask is regarding scuba diving while pregnant. The quick answer is "Please don't dive" while you're pregnant. There will be no good studies because of the ethical factors in studying humans, but why take a chance. As Dr. Maida Taylor has stated, "The same woman who will not drink coffee or smoke during her pregnancy will want to know why she should not dive. In this litiginous society there is only one answer 'no diving while pregnant or even trying to conceive'. No major studies prove it unsafe but the hazards are there."

On the other hand, we don't have very good data showing that hyperbaric pressure harms the fetus, and in fact, there are case records of HBO treatment of pregnant mothers with carbon monoxide poisoning without adverse effect on the
fetus. However, the fetus does not have the protection of the lungs in filtering out the bubbles as does an adult.

The Russians use HBO to treat high risk pregnancies and report 54/700 cases of pulmonary pathology in fetuses - with poorly controlled studies.


Here are some anecdotal cases reported:

1. Bangasser Survey 1978-no increased defects
2. Bolton Survey 1980-higher rate of fetal defects in 40/109 women who did not stop diving, with two major cardiac anomalies, multiple hemivertebrae, absent hand, VSD, coarctation, pyloric stenosis, and birthmark. No fetal defects in the group of women divers who stopped.
3. Turner Case Report-1982. Multiple anomalies in the fetus of a woman after 20 dives in the 15 days after her LMP.

Presently, there are no HBO treatment chambers that allow female personnel who are pregnant to act as tenders. Since diving is an entirely elective activity for 99% of all women divers, the obvious choice would seem to be not to dive. If one has been inadvertently diving while early in her gestation, there is no good data which would justify a termination of the pregnancy.

For further reading about pregnancy, diving and exercise go to the following links:
http://www.scuba-doc.com/prgdiv.htm
http://diverlink.com/medicine/pregnancy.htm
http://www.bsac.com/membserv/medical/g_pregcy.htm
http://www.familyinternet.com/fisites/pregcom/02030440.htm
http://www.physsportsmed.com/issues/1997/04apr/araujo.htm

scubadoc

 

[Mario S Caner]

Extremely facinating thread. As an instructor, I've had female students approach me with questions like this before. To me the question isn't whether you should, it's whether it's worth the risk. When you think about it, there's so much to lose, and not nearly enough to gain. Don't get me wrong I'm not saying that you 'personally' would, I'm just saying 'be careful' to the rest of you aqua mom's to be.

Mario

 

[Dr Deco]

Dear Readers:

There are many women who ask about "iffy" procedures of all types during pregnancy, whether this be scuba diving or breathing anesthetics in the OR as a nurse or physician. When one adopts the less conservative ground during a pregnancy and something goes wrong, there is a terrible guilt that persists for years. More likely than not, a miscarriage would have occurred anyway, but the feeling is always there that "I did this through my imprudence." You can never go back.

The moving finger writes,
and having writ, moves on,
and all your piety and wit
can never cancel out a word of it,
or all your tears ever wash away a single line.
From the “RUBáIYáT” of Omar Khayyam

 

[Jennie007]

As a Diving Instructor, also female and wishing to have a family, can anyone help me with information about diving when pregant.

I know all the agencies say no, never. BUT has anyone continued to dive into their pregancy? Is there any proof that diving can harm the child?

I would be very interested to hear from any diving mothers who have or have not continued to dive while pregant.

I am a dive instructor and just found out that I am pregnant. I love diving but obviously I could have a break for the baby and live without diving until after my baby is born. However, I can't. At least not yet, as I am still waiting for my work visa for this country and for the lawyers letter assuring me that my company cannot fire me. Don t get me wrong and please dont send me any angry messages, especially you men or fathers to be! WHAT DO MEN KNOW ABOUT COMPROMISES BECAUSE OF PREGNANCY? YOU GUYS SHOULD NOT EVEN HAVE THE RIGHT TO EXPRESS AN OPINION ON THIS!
Has anybody ever been in a situation like this and would be able to help me out? 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. Now maybe yes, if I get fired, probably not.
Ps I really dont care what pro-life men and doctors etc think. I need advice from someone who knows what it s like to find a home in a new country and a dream job! Thank you.

 

[Jennie007]

I am a dive instructor and just found out that I am pregnant. I love diving but obviously I could have a break for the baby and live without diving until after my baby is born. However, I can't. At least not yet, as I am still waiting for my work visa for this country and for the lawyers letter assuring me that my company cannot fire me. Don t get me wrong and please dont send me any angry messages, especially you men or fathers to be! WHAT DO MEN KNOW ABOUT COMPROMISES BECAUSE OF PREGNANCY? YOU GUYS SHOULD NOT EVEN HAVE THE RIGHT TO EXPRESS AN OPINION ON THIS!
Has anybody ever been in a situation like this and would be able to help me out? 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. Now maybe yes, if I get fired, probably not.
Ps I really dont care what pro-life men and doctors etc think. I need advice from someone who knows what it s like to find a home in a new country and a dream job! Thank you.

oh sorry. So yes, I am nearly 8 weeks pregnant and still diving. I just dont have a choice.
However, I dive as conservative as I possibly can- I take 5 min to surface even after a 40 feet dive. I dont go up and down anymore even if my students do etc. However, after researching this topic I have to say that if I would have a choice I would stop straight away, even though the risks for the baby are minimal, esp. since I mostly dive extremely conservative and shallow. Oxygen toxicity? Decompression sickness? getting cold? I really dont think that is going to happen. But in the end you never know and if something did happen you would hate yourself forever...

 

[bladephotog]

I am a dive instructor and just found out that I am pregnant. I love diving but obviously I could have a break for the baby and live without diving until after my baby is born. However, I can't. At least not yet, as I am still waiting for my work visa for this country and for the lawyers letter assuring me that my company cannot fire me. Don t get me wrong and please dont send me any angry messages, especially you men or fathers to be! WHAT DO MEN KNOW ABOUT COMPROMISES BECAUSE OF PREGNANCY? YOU GUYS SHOULD NOT EVEN HAVE THE RIGHT TO EXPRESS AN OPINION ON THIS!
Has anybody ever been in a situation like this and would be able to help me out? 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. Now maybe yes, if I get fired, probably not.
Ps I really dont care what pro-life men and doctors etc think. I need advice from someone who knows what it s like to find a home in a new country and a dream job! Thank you.

Holy mackerel you're way off base. First off, how is anyone going to help you? My wife is pregnant with twins right now and you're out of your mind if you think I don't have a right to express an opinion on her diving.

You seem to be looking for an someone to tell you that it's okay to dive while you're pregnant. Good luck finding that. **** happens, I know. But if you're new life was really that important maybe you'd have found a way NOT to get pregnant until after your new life/career was settled.

Despite the hyperbaric risks, what about the general risks from over-exertion? Donning and doffing gear, moving tanks etc., can be strenuous.

It never ceases to amaze me. When my wife was certified a woman in her class found out she was pregnant. She did one open water dive before telling her instructors, who wisely, wouldn't let her dive again but offered to let her do her open waters after the baby was born. She was so upset. This is the same woman who was willing to lose a pregnancy after telling us this long, sorted tale about how long they'd been trying to get pregnant. IMO, she wasn't fit to be a diver or a mother.