There are women-only gyms and health clubs, so what about female-friendly firing ranges, with childcare centres and coffee clubs?

Key points: Advocate says services such as childcare would attract more female shooters

Advocate says services such as childcare would attract more female shooters Instructor says shooting range not a healthy environment for infants

Instructor says shooting range not a healthy environment for infants There is no safe level of lead exposure; lead does not leave the body

The idea has been floated by a Queensland advocate for women's sport shooting, Sally Jones, and the ABC understands the national sport shooting body is prepared to support it.

But studies show sport shooters are exposed to unsafe lead levels that could affect unborn children.

Ms Jones's proposal has called for coffee clubs and other services to be attached to shooting ranges in a way to attract more women.

"Childcare would be an advantage," she said.

"To allow women to come along and have their children looked after whilst they're participating in a competition, or just a practice session."

Erin Thomas, an instructor at the Hillcrest indoor pistol club and shooting gallery in Brisbane, said she disagreed with the proposal to make shooting ranges more female friendly by including childcare facilities.

The number one safety rule for the range is no pregnant women allowed, due to the potential damage to unborn children from the sound of gunshots. ( ABC News: George Robers )

Despite growing up on properties and around guns, Ms Thomas said a shooting range was not a healthy environment for infants.

"Developmentally, when they're [children] indoors they're exposed to lead and exposed to the noise," she said.

"As a younger child or an infant, it's not good for them, it's not healthy."

Women 'could pass lead on to their children'

Dr Mark Laidlaw from Melbourne's RMIT analysed 36 different international studies into the effects of shooting on women and the instances of high lead level exposures.

"[In] 31 one out of the 36 studies, the blood levels were greater than 10 micrograms per decilitre," he said.

Though there is no safe level of lead exposure, health bodies in the United States regard five micrograms per decilitre of blood as a dangerous level.

Lead poisoning symptoms in children: Developmental delay

Developmental delay Learning difficulties

Learning difficulties Irritability

Irritability Loss of appetite

Loss of appetite Weight loss

Weight loss Sluggishness and fatigue

Sluggishness and fatigue Abdominal pain

Abdominal pain Vomiting

Vomiting Constipation

Constipation Hearing loss

Hearing loss Seizures Lead poisoning symptoms in newborns: Premature birth

Premature birth Lower birth weight

Lower birth weight Slowed growth

And Dr Laidlaw said the lead levels did not leave the body.

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"It stores in the bones, and you have childbearing women, they get this lead in their bones and when they become pregnant the bones re-mineralise," he said.

"And the lead is released from the bones, exposing the foetuses.

Dr Laidlaw said the lead could also be passed on from the mother through their breast milk, which could then poison their infant child.

He said he also worried that having childcare at shooting clubs would result in children becoming exposed to lead dust.

The owner and operator of the Hillcrest indoor pistol club and shooting gallery is former police officer Gus Cartia.

He said at the moment it was unlikely it would be viable for the club to establish a childcare centre.

"It all comes down to dollars, so if females were shooting everyday it could be something that you could maybe factor into it," he said.

Mr Cartia said he had invested heavily in reducing lead exposure, with extractor fans for sucking lead particles away and the use of special ammunition.