pregnancy and scuba

[tdesola]

Does anybody know when (if ever) during the course of pregnancy is it okay to dive?

Many thanks!

 

[goodknight411]

Here's what i've read online (DAN and other sources).
The safest is to not dive if you might be pregnat or if you're trying to get that way. It can give the baby the bends, because the baby can't off gas like you can.
That said i have read that the first week after conception the is little or no chance of hurting the baby because it it not attached to the placenta.
There's alot out there on this. Most doc's say don't dive, don't take that chance.

 

[baitedstorm]

So far from all that I have read it seems there just isn't enough study on this so, not diving is the safest way to go. There's are pretty good section in the Diving Encyclopedia in the physiology section (page 2-61) Basically saying the same thing. They did find that sheep exposed late in gestation to high pressure, but not high enough to cause DCS, delivered normal lambs. However if the sheep developed DCS late in gestation and were UNTREATED, the lambs were born stillborn

Hope that helps a bit.

 

[MASS-Diver]

IMO, it's pretty stupid to dive at any point during a pregnancy (espically a deep dive)for about 100 reasons. That said, I'm sure people do it all the time. Many women don't realize they are pregnant for atl east a few weeks.

 

[mweitz]

My wife just checked with her OB as to when she can dive (31 weeks). Her OB doesn't want her to dive until 4 months after the birth, and no, you can't dive during the pregnancy.

Mark

 

[DennisW]

If you are pregnant or think you are pregnant. Don't dive. It's just that simple.

 

[MikeC]

How important is the child to you??? It is rather simple.

Of course there are some females who will continue to drink and do drugs and smoke when they are pregnant.