A hot topic: diving during pregnancy. After all, there are stories of pregnant divers who dived regularly during their pregnancy and gave birth to a healthy child. But there are also stories where the opposite was discussed. Is diving wise when you are pregnant? What exactly can be the dangers for a pregnant woman, and can diving have negative consequences for an (unborn) child?
Increased oxygen pressure
Divers have to deal with increased oxygen pressure. An unborn child does not yet have working lungs and the oxygen supply is 100 percent via the blood. This means that some things that are very normal for us can cause harm to an unborn child. During a child’s development, increased oxygen pressure can cause abnormalities in the eyes, which can cause a child to become blind. Increased oxygen pressure can change blood circulation, increasing the risk of miscarriage.
Decompression sickness
Decompression sickness (or diver’s disease) can occur in people who have been exposed to increased air pressure. When they enter an environment with lower pressure, nitrogen bubbles can form in the blood. Women who are pregnant are more susceptible to decompression sickness because the unborn baby’s blood flow is different than after birth. The nitrogen bubbles can therefore accumulate more easily in the body of the unborn child. The bubbles can even be transported around the child’s body and cause irreparable damage.
Hormonal changes
Hormonal changes can cause the mucous membranes of the sinuses and nose to swell. This makes equalizing while diving a lot more difficult. The pressure in the ear becomes painful and this can lead to unpleasant situations, such as an emergency ascent. Ascending too quickly (due to pain from not being able to equalize or another reason) can result in decompression sickness.
Diving during last trimester
Hormonal changes and the development of the unborn child mainly take place in the first trimester of pregnancy. Then the body is formed and after the first trimester it mainly grows. The hormone balance returns to a normal balance and the risks of miscarriage are nil. However, there are still complications when a woman decides to go diving. Increased pressure on the woman’s body can cause premature birth. The membranes can break due to the pressure and this can lead to infections. So although the consequences may not be so serious, there are also certain risks in the second and third trimester of pregnancy if you decide to go diving as a pregnant woman.
Diving: don’t do it
In short: there are a lot of reasons why it is better for a pregnant woman to give up diving for a while. The period during which it is better not to dive is not clear because the child’s development can be disrupted at all stages. The advice of all diving authorities is therefore not to go diving during your pregnancy. If you have been diving, for example because you did not yet know that you were pregnant, it is better to have an ultrasound made by a gynecologist to see if there are any abnormalities.
