Many women scuba divers are unsure as to whether they can continue participating in their beloved hobby once they get pregnant. Diving doctors get asked this question on a regular basis and it might surprise you that they don’t actually have a conclusive answer to this day.

What doctors tell us is that there is plenty of reason for caution, and erring on the side of caution is really what is best for the baby. Then again, that doesn’t mean that you have to swear off the water altogether. Let’s take a look at what we know are the pros and cons of pregnant women being in the water, as well as the reason why there is no conclusive evidence of the effects of scuba diving to a mother and her unborn baby.

Benefits of Being in the Water While Pregnant

Pregnant women do not often have the opportunity to feel weightless and the activity of swimming is capable of providing those luxuries while also providing a low-impact form of exercise. Aside from the obvious benefits of exercise, many women who exercise throughout pregnancy find it easier to get back into shape after the baby is born.

Being suspended in water also temporarily alleviates the aches and pains that pregnant women may be feeling, especially during the last trimester. Swollen joints will retain less water and sore muscles will feel a great deal of relief. The coolness of the water will also counteract sweat-inducing hormones, giving the pregnant mother a chance to feel better and fresher while in the water.

Perhaps the most special benefit is that when the mother starts to feel happy, it will have an emotionally positive effect on her growing fetus. The mother will release endorphins of a positive nature because she is doing an activity that she loves, which fetal development theorists believe may affect the personality and disposition of the child once he or she is born.

Suspected Dangers of Scuba Diving While Pregnant

So what suspected risks would submerging deeper than a few feet pose to a developing baby? For starters, there is the issue of nitrogen dissolution and its theoretical risks for fetal injury.

Because an unborn baby receives the oxygen it needs to live from the placenta, the baby is bound to feel the effects of decompression sickness when the mother ends up suffering from it after diving at great depths. Its underdeveloped lungs cannot filter bubbles the way fully developed human lungs do, so those formed bubbles could reach a vital organ and potentially cause fetal complications.

Similarly, when the pregnant woman suffers from carbon monoxide poisoning, she will also have to be treated in a hyperbaric chamber because the unborn baby is more sensitive to the toxin.

Medical experts would also like to warn pregnant mothers about the psychological dangers that can result from a miscarriage following a dive. Even if the miscarriage is not a direct result of scuba diving (since miscarriages are not that uncommon), there is a risk for self-blame and anguish if the mother ends up thinking that it is her fault.

Lack of Conclusive Evidence

As stated at the beginning of the article, there is no conclusive evidence that scuba diving is bad for mother and fetus, because it simply isn’t ethical to conduct studies on pregnant women.

Most animal experiments focusing on this issue have not conclusively shown that breathing air that is concentrated by pressure can increase the risk of abnormal development or pregnancy loss, but tests done on sheep reveal that bubbles do begin to form in the fetus at one-half of the maximum bottom time.

Possible associated risks include low birth weight, birth defects, and neonatal respiratory problems. If it’s risky for an animal, it hardly seems worth the risk to the life of your own baby.

Make Safety a Priority

Because of the abovementioned risks that may be associated with diving, snorkeling at shallower depths (with your doctor’s go signal) would be a great way to come to a compromise so you still get that underwater experience.

Of course, only your doctor can provide you with the most accurate information that is unique to you. This article only intends to shed some light on the subject, as it is one we happen to hear fairly often. And if you find out after diving that you’re pregnant, know that there is no medical proof suggesting that you should worry about your baby’s health or consider terminating the pregnancy.

As with any other activity that you would undertake while you are pregnant, just be aware of the risks and make safety your number one priority.