pregnancy & diving

[scubababe]

I wonder how many people who reply to the science of this thread have children. I certainly doubt any of you have children with an abnormality.

1 in 5 children are miscarried
3 in 100 live born children have an congenital abnormality

There is a lot unknown about the causes of congenital abnormalities - the large majority are multifactorial; involving a genetic vunerability and an environmental trigger, and there are a great deal of environmental triggers out there.

How could you risk adding even a possible environmental trigger?
How could you the guilt if your child was one of the 1 in 33, even if it was unrelated to your diving .... because you would never know what caused it?

So if you are even thinking about becoming pregnant, get out there and stop drinking, get fit and start taking folate supplements!!!

The other reason I doubt the respondants have been pregnant is the effect (out of the water) on the mother. Come on mothers out there .... can you imagine strapping all that equipment and weight to you when you are pregnant and your body is changing and your ligaments loosening? Can you imagine how your back would feel afterwards?

Lets just be real about this!!! It is not a good idea for a whole pile of reasons. Not to mention all the very valid points KC_scubabunny has made in her reply.

 

[Patience]

My OB has a female partner who is an experienced diver. When I first suspected I was pregnant, several weeks before a long awaited diving trip to Bermuda, I asked for her advice.

As a diver, and an obstetrician, she advised me NOT TO DIVE. I was really disappointed, but wasn't even tempted not to take her advice to heart.

I may have missed out on a great trip -- and subsequently a year's worth of diving -- but I have a happy, healthy daughter. I think you'll find it's a worthwhile sacrafice.

 

[andrea31419]

I'm in the very early stages of pregnancy (I'm pretty sure anyway), and wanted to make just one dive, but I am reading now that it is not a good idea. I agree that the risks are not worth it...I'll just have to snorkle around I suppose. Oh well, just as long as I'm in the water too!

Thx for the info in this thread.

Andrea
Savannah, GA.

 

[SueMermaid]

I often get some spotting after diving. That right there tells me that it is not a good idea to dive while pregnant at any stage.

 

[andrea31419]

So how far into your pregnancy did you dive? I wanted to get just one ocean dive in before I switched to snorkling for the rest of the summer. I'm only a few weeks, and wasn't sure of pregnancy and diving, I've heard yes and no, but wanted more information before I took the "plunge".

Andrea

 

[memphisluvr]

Couldnt' a baby be compared to a breast implant? (Just got finished reading that thread) I absolutely agree that you should *never* put your pregnancy in danger, I just thought of this while reading this thread.

Now with the disclaimer over . From everything I understand, there is no air in the womb. It's a total liquid environment. Wouldn't the rule that pressure only affects air spaces apply here? Is the only difference between this and a breast implant the fact that it's a child that we're programmed to protect?

Essentially-is there a reason the two situations are different?

And further-would it make it better for the baby if the mother used nitrox for the increased oxygen content?

Now I understand that it could affect the baby if the mother got in trouble and got nitrogen bubbles in her bloodstream, but how often does that happen?

No offense intended. Just playing with theory.

 

[raviepoo]

Personally I think that if you're willing to risk your pregnancy to get in one last dive, you might want to think twice about whether you're ready to accept the responsibility of being a mother.

Parenthood involves sacrifice. It should start the day you learn you're pregnant, or even before as nutritional deficiencies in the mother can lead to abnormalities in the child. Parenting isn't a right. It's a miracle and a privelege. Not all of us get to do it. It shoudln't be taken lightly.

You can dive again after your child is born.

God forbid any of us ever find ourselves in the position to say "I told you so" to a mother who chose to dive while pregnant.

 

[andrea31419]

No flack from me...motherhood is a miracle. I've got two already and decided that if pregnant (which I am not), it is not worth the risk.

Andrea

 

[DocVikingo]

I believe that the important distinction here is that a breast implant is not a living organism with a developing circulatory system and vitally connected to the body that it inhabits. A fetus is. Unlike a breast implant, a fetus is subject to the effects of DCI.

"And further-would it make it better for the baby if the mother used nitrox for the increased oxygen content?"

Arterial gas embolism (AGE) is the real worry in diving while pregnant, and nitrox is not likely to significantly impact the occurrence or severity of that event. Additionally, given a normal, healthy mother & fetus there is more than ample 02 for all. The increased partial pressures of 02 afforded by nitrox would be superfluous in this regard. There is also the issue of what fetal impact a few hours of breathing enriched air at increased atmospheric pressure could have within the context of a 9 month term.

Best regards.

DocVikingo

 

[memphisluvr]

For the response and the PM, Doc I appreciate your taking the time to answer my question.