Diving While Unaware of Pregnancy

[theaudone]

Earlier in the year I went on a dive trip unaware of the fact that I had just become pregnant. I did 13 warm water dives (2-3 times a day) in my second week of pregnancy and just two dives for the entire third week. I did not go into decompression on any of these dives, my computer is set to be quite conservative. However I am fully aware that any amount diving is strongly discouraged during pregnancy due to the fact that there is a lack of information on safety.

I'm wondering if there are any other women out there who accidentally went diving in the first trimester with a "surprise pregnancy"? If you would be willing to share your experience and outcome in regards to the health of the baby I would greatly appreciate it. It's hard to find any information or discussion regarding this online and I'm sure it's more common than you would think.

BTW- I have not been diving since, and had I known I was pregnant (or could even become pregnant) I would never have taken this risk in a thousand years, so please be kind.

Thanks.

 

[CNYMAD]

Hi,
i dove 29 years ago in the first month of pregnancy. We didn't have the quick testes back then. She is a lovely PHD candidate/associate professor and got me me a new regulator for Christmas. So, I guess it can turn out better than ok. Maybe talk to your doctor about your concerns. I'm now closing in on 60 and it didn't occurr to us to back then to be concerned.

 

[WarrenZ]

The ama divers do it so some history there but your probably fine and so is your new dive partner.

 

[gcarter]

Earlier in the year I went on a dive trip unaware of the fact that I had just become pregnant. I did 13 warm water dives (2-3 times a day) in my second week of pregnancy and just two dives for the entire third week. I did not go into decompression on any of these dives, my computer is set to be quite conservative. However I am fully aware that any amount diving is strongly discouraged during pregnancy due to the fact that there is a lack of information on safety.

I'm wondering if there are any other women out there who accidentally went diving in the first trimester with a "surprise pregnancy"? If you would be willing to share your experience and outcome in regards to the health of the baby I would greatly appreciate it. It's hard to find any information or discussion regarding this online and I'm sure it's more common than you would think.

BTW- I have not been diving since, and had I known I was pregnant (or could even become pregnant) I would never have taken this risk in a thousand years, so please be kind.

Thanks.

Not to minimize your concerns, but a lack of information does not automatically equate to unsafe. The fact is that many women do things in early stages that they would not do if they were aware of their status earlier. 99% of the time (made up stats are awesome, aren't they? but seriously...) nothing adverse happens. The human body is remarkably resilient and adaptive.

Congratulations on your impending life sentence!

 

[TSandM]

The evidence of harm from diving with a fetus is inconclusive at best. The recommendations against diving while pregnant are really primarily based on some weak data of possible harm, and the idea that diving is an elective activity which, given even a small probability of a bad outcome, should be avoided. And when this topic has been discussed in the past, the primary argument has been that, if one eschews diving during pregnancy, then if there is some kind of birth defect, at least there won't be guilt about its origin.

I'd relax. The biggest likelihood is that you will carry a normal pregnancy.

 

[Ayisha]

A friend of mine went diving in her first few weeks of pregnancy, not knowing yet that she was pregnant, and her little boy, who is almost 3 years old now, turned out to be just fine.

Diving in the first few weeks of pregnancy may happen more than we think since most women likely wouldn't be aware that they're pregnant yet.

 

[Stoo]

Waaaay back when, I won a free trip to Grand Cayman. My then 6-month prego wife would have no part of my going without her. We took the trip right away and quickly learned that Grand Cayman in August is horrendously hot and humid in August.

Mrs. Stoo (#1) decided to dive on the shallow second dives, keeping above 35 or 40 feet as was the recommendation of the experts of the day.

A few months after our return, she gave birth to a healthy lad, who would eventually grow to 6'2", be astonishingly handsome like his father, eventually graduate Dean's Honor List and top of his class in Economics and International Business. He currently lives in Australia, manages some Internet thing I don't understand and surfs everyday.

So, other than a weird choice of sport, he's pretty much A-ok.

The reality is that I presume (and hope) that you aren't prepared to take any "drastic measures" to end your pregnancy, so stop worrying and enjoy your miraculous tummy. Your life is about to go a little nutzoid for the next 25 years or so, and believe me, you'll look back and see that this was the least of the worries you had along the way...

 

[theaudone]

"Your life is about to go a little nutzoid for the next 25 years or so, and believe me, you'll look back and see that this was the least of the worries you had along the way..."

Haha Stoo, thanks for the kind reply and the giggle. Now I'm really worried!

 

[lmorin]

A friend of mine went diving in her first few weeks of pregnancy, not knowing yet that she was pregnant, and her little boy, who is almost 3 years old now, turned out to be just fine.

Diving in the first few weeks of pregnancy may happen more than we think since most women likely wouldn't be aware that they're pregnant yet.

Yes, the inadvertent or deliberate experiment has undoubtedly been done a thousand times or more over the years. It is too bad that DAN does not evaluate this sort of thing.

 

[pdxgal]

I bet it happens all the time, because scuba tends to occur in the same vicinity as rum, and rum tends to occur in the same vicinity of conception. Or at least that was the case for me. Got preggo in Saba during a dive trip, and my 18 month old is fine, but likes Elmo, which I consider to be rather bizarre as he is creepy and annoying. Questionable taste in entertainment or delayed effects of nitrogen narcosis in utero? You be the judge.

In all seriousness, you're fine. And CONGRATULATIONS! :baby: