Diving in pool whilst pregnant

[kiwichick]

Hello... I was due to do a diving refresher course in an indoor pool in a few days time, and have just found out that I am pregnant. I absolutely appreciate that diving in the sea to any real depth would be a mistake (I have read what has already been written in this forum), but could anyone tell me if the same applies in a pool?

thanks

 

[Gene_Hobbs]

Congratulations!

I assume you read the sticky in the women's forum for the full review from the workshop so I will not labor most of those points. The one that I think warrants the most attention is the second:

2. The fetus may be at greater risk than the diving mother. The potential risk primarily consists of decompression sickness, but hyperoxia, hypoxia, hypercapnia and asphyxia may also be involved.

I would have to say that ALL of these risks with the exception of decompression sickness is of VERY real concern in the pool. (and though a low risk you can never rule out DCS risk if you are breathing compressed gas)

Good luck!

--Full ref above: Kent MB (ed). Effects of Diving on Pregnancy. 19th Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society Workshop. UHMS Publication Number 36(EDP)1-31-80. Bethesda: Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society; 1978; 13 pages. RRR ID: 4250

 

[Damselfish]

maybe not much point in a refresher course when you won't be diving for awhile? - you might just need another refresher course when the time comes anyway!

 

[stevewirl]

firstly congradulations ,
there have been many studies into this possition that women find them self in .
as Shakespeer once wrote " To dive or not to dive that is the question "

well here is my educated opinion "im a paramedic" there are to many things that can go wrong with being pregnant . and for that matter there are to many things that can go wrong with diving .

if we mix the two :11: id dread to think .

with diving we affect the pulmunary"lungs" system this in turn sets O2 in soultion in the blood . when we introduce a higher partial pressure (even at a ppo2 of 1.3 )of 02 to the fetus this can cause damage or stress to the unborn child .

I wont fill you full of negitive thoughts but i would leave your refresher untill a later date .

 

[DocVikingo]

Hi kiwichick,

What splendid news.

Here's an orientation to scuba and pregnancy that I wrote a couple of years back:


Diving & Pregnancy
Doc Vikingo's Pregnancy & Diving


More recently, the following study concludes:

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

Scuba diving and pregnancy: can we determine safe limits?

St Leger Dowse M, Gunby A, Moncad R, Fife C, Bryson P.

Diving Diseases Research Centre, Hyperbaric Medical Centre, Plymouth, UK. marguerite@mstld.co.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."

Since there is no rush to do a refresher course as you won't be diving for at least 11 months or so after recuperation and all, why risk it?

Helpful?

Regards,

DocVikingo