Trying to get pregnant and Diving
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Starfish, my question is not about diving while pregnant - I know that should be avoided. I should have been clearer in my original post. Rather I was wondering if this is any information on the effects of diving on ovulation/fertility?
My understanding is that there is little to no information out there. I do research for a living, so I'll check and see if there has been anything published recently.
DAN is always a good place to check if you need information.
I'll let you know if I find anything new.
Starfish
DAN is always a good place to check if you need information.
I'll let you know if I find anything new.
StarfishI AM NOT A MEDICAL DOCTOR. THIS IS A POSTING FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY!
Semin Perinatol 1996 Aug;20(4):292-302 Related Articles, Links
Diving and pregnancy.
Camporesi EM.
Department of Anesthesiology, Hyperbaric Center, SUNY Health Science Center, Syracuse 13210, USA.
Scuba diving during pregnancy has increased in incidence as a result of substantial growth in the number of young females attracted to sport diving. This review summarizes the physiological changes induced by immersion, diving and decompression, on male and female divers. Furthermore, it extends to literature review, in animal models, of the susceptibility of a pregnant animal to diving decompression injury. Publications regarding reports of diving injury in pregnant humans are also reviewed, comprising very recent material from the sport diving community. It is concluded that there is no countraindication to diving for the normal, healthy, nonpregnant female. However, pregnant females should refrain from diving, because the fetus is not protected from decompression problems and is at risk of malformation and gas embolism after decompression disease. It is prudent to advise pregnant patients of the increased risk of diving problems for the fetus during pregnancy. However, should a woman have completed a dive during early pregnancy because she was unaware she was pregnant, the present evidence is not to recommend an abortion, because several normal pregnancies have been documented even if diving is continued. Snorkeling can still be practiced during pregnancy, but scuba diving should be discontinued until after the birth period.
Publication Types:
Review
Review, Tutorial
PMID: 8888455 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Semin Perinatol 1996 Aug;20(4):292-302 Related Articles, Links
Diving and pregnancy.
Camporesi EM.
Department of Anesthesiology, Hyperbaric Center, SUNY Health Science Center, Syracuse 13210, USA.
Scuba diving during pregnancy has increased in incidence as a result of substantial growth in the number of young females attracted to sport diving. This review summarizes the physiological changes induced by immersion, diving and decompression, on male and female divers. Furthermore, it extends to literature review, in animal models, of the susceptibility of a pregnant animal to diving decompression injury. Publications regarding reports of diving injury in pregnant humans are also reviewed, comprising very recent material from the sport diving community. It is concluded that there is no countraindication to diving for the normal, healthy, nonpregnant female. However, pregnant females should refrain from diving, because the fetus is not protected from decompression problems and is at risk of malformation and gas embolism after decompression disease. It is prudent to advise pregnant patients of the increased risk of diving problems for the fetus during pregnancy. However, should a woman have completed a dive during early pregnancy because she was unaware she was pregnant, the present evidence is not to recommend an abortion, because several normal pregnancies have been documented even if diving is continued. Snorkeling can still be practiced during pregnancy, but scuba diving should be discontinued until after the birth period.
Publication Types:
Review
Review, Tutorial
PMID: 8888455 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
The only other journal article I found was on _male_ fertility and the reduction in semen due to saturation diving.
Impact of a deep saturation dive on semen quality.
Aitken RJ, Buckingham D, Richardson D, Gardiner JC, Irvine DS.
MRC Reproductive Biology Unit, 37 Chalmers Street, Edinburgh EH3 9ET, Scotland. jaitken@mail.newcastle.edu.au
The demonstration dive 'Aurora' has provided an opportunity to study the impact of extreme hyperbaric conditions on male fertility. This operation involved a 33-day diving programme during which divers were exposed to a maximum pressure of 4.6 Mega Pascals (Mpa) for 7 days. At days - 4, + 27, + 34, + 82 and + 263 relative to the initiation of the dive, semen samples were analysed to determine the quality of spermatogenesis and the functional competence of the spermatozoa. A dramatic fall in semen quality was observed in association with the dive and by day + 82 the potential fertility of the men was seriously compromised as evidenced by oligoasthenoteratozoospermic semen profiles and the poor fertilizing potential of the spermatozoa. These studies indicate, for the first time, that the severe hyperbaric conditions associated with deep saturation dives have a profound effect on male reproductive function.
PMID: 10762438 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
male
Impact of a deep saturation dive on semen quality.
Aitken RJ, Buckingham D, Richardson D, Gardiner JC, Irvine DS.
MRC Reproductive Biology Unit, 37 Chalmers Street, Edinburgh EH3 9ET, Scotland. jaitken@mail.newcastle.edu.au
The demonstration dive 'Aurora' has provided an opportunity to study the impact of extreme hyperbaric conditions on male fertility. This operation involved a 33-day diving programme during which divers were exposed to a maximum pressure of 4.6 Mega Pascals (Mpa) for 7 days. At days - 4, + 27, + 34, + 82 and + 263 relative to the initiation of the dive, semen samples were analysed to determine the quality of spermatogenesis and the functional competence of the spermatozoa. A dramatic fall in semen quality was observed in association with the dive and by day + 82 the potential fertility of the men was seriously compromised as evidenced by oligoasthenoteratozoospermic semen profiles and the poor fertilizing potential of the spermatozoa. These studies indicate, for the first time, that the severe hyperbaric conditions associated with deep saturation dives have a profound effect on male reproductive function.
PMID: 10762438 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
male
Patience
Registered
Deignor,
My advice would depend on what you mean by "trying to get pregnant". (Gentlemen, close your eyes. This is girl stuff.) If it's just not trying NOT to get pregnant, I would probably continue diving, at least during the first two weeks of your cycle. If you're actively trying to get pregnant, my advice is a little different.
If you think you are likely to get pregnant, you should act as if you already are. (This was the advice my OB-GYN gave me.) That means taking prenatal vitamins, folic acid tablets, (maybe baby asprin), and not drinking.
That said, I made four (shallow) dives the weekend before I found out I was pregnant! I now have a three month old daughter who is happy, and healthy, and who I expect to start clamoring for her own dive gear in the blink of an eye.
Good luck!
My advice would depend on what you mean by "trying to get pregnant". (Gentlemen, close your eyes. This is girl stuff.) If it's just not trying NOT to get pregnant, I would probably continue diving, at least during the first two weeks of your cycle. If you're actively trying to get pregnant, my advice is a little different.
If you think you are likely to get pregnant, you should act as if you already are. (This was the advice my OB-GYN gave me.) That means taking prenatal vitamins, folic acid tablets, (maybe baby asprin), and not drinking.
That said, I made four (shallow) dives the weekend before I found out I was pregnant! I now have a three month old daughter who is happy, and healthy, and who I expect to start clamoring for her own dive gear in the blink of an eye.
Good luck!
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