Shallow diving and pregnancy

[DrSteve]

I'm curious - deep diving is clearly a nono when pregnant, but what about shallow diving in the 10-20 foot range?

 

[Rick Murchison]

While there is no intuitive reason shallow Scuba should adversely affect a fetus, "The problem" with any diving (breathing at greater than 1 ATA) is that you're in unknown territory re: fetal physiology. The "lung filter" doesn't exist; even the tiniest bubbles can get into arterial circulation.
General guidance is "Pregnancy is a contraindication to Scuba Diving."
My two cents is "wait."
Rick

 

[ScubaBabe22]

While there is no intuitive reason shallow Scuba should adversely affect a fetus, "The problem" with any diving (breathing at greater than 1 ATA) is that you're in unknown territory re: fetal physiology. The "lung filter" doesn't exist; even the tiniest bubbles can get into arterial circulation.
General guidance is "Pregnancy is a contraindication to Scuba Diving."
My two cents is "wait."
Rick

I don't think I'm going to have kids then...maybe in the winter...

 

[DennisW]

One word. Don't. It's just not worth the possible risks.

 

[Ishie]

Plus if you do and there's a problem with the pregnancy, even if it seems totally unrelated to scuba, you're always going to wonder if maybe the diving hurt the kid.

I sort of ended my mom's diving (sorry mom). Her additional reasoning was that, as an assistant instructor, she had training for rescue and the rest of it. If you're tooling around 15' and see someone at 50' in trouble, are you going to just watch them struggle or take the slightest chance by realizing that it *probably* won't hurt the kid.

Of course my solution is pretty simple. I like diving more than I want kids... actually... I like going to the dentist more than I want kids, but that's me...

 

[davsholm423]

It's pretty much unknown the exact affects diving while pregant will have on the kid. If I recall correctly from a magazine; there have not been any direct studies on this because of the obvious risk it would be to the kid. It makes sense that not many people do not want to take this risk.

 

[DrSteve]

All understood and not much is known and it is an unknown risk.

But it seems to me that if a pregnant mum can fly in a plane pressurised to 8000 feet, there shouldn't be much difference comparatively speaking than diving to 20 feet. Both involve significant pressure changes and based on how often I have to clear my ears in a plane the pressure difference is a whole lot greater than 20 fsw.

 

[ScubaAngel831]

I would stick to snorkeling- just be sure you arent snorkeling while diving, as someone mentioned, if someone is in trouble below you, you may want to help them (mothers instinct)- snorkeling wont hurt you though. Its only 9 months you arent able to dive, so just wait it out to prevent any potential hazard to yourself or your baby. Best of luck with the baby!

 

[mer]

A study on pregnant women and diving will never be done unless an increased pressure environment is implicated as a cure for a disease that afflicts pregnant women. Would never get through medical ethics.

As for the pressure change with respect to flying,
10.9 psi at 8000 ft
14.7 psi at sea level
23.6 psi at 20fsw
This means there is roughly a 20% decrease in pressure when flying (decompressing from sea level) and a 40% decrease in pressure when diving (decompressing from 20fsw).

 

[DrSteve]

I would stick to snorkeling- just be sure you arent snorkeling while diving, as someone mentioned, if someone is in trouble below you, you may want to help them (mothers instinct)- snorkeling wont hurt you though. Its only 9 months you arent able to dive, so just wait it out to prevent any potential hazard to yourself or your baby. Best of luck with the baby!

Thanks but nothing official yet...just trying to plan