Is scuba diving safe during pregnancy?

What does the evidence say about scuba diving during pregnancy?

1. Scuba diving is best avoided during pregnancy because of possible fetal risks, and the data are insufficient to establish that any dive is absolutely safe. Animal studies suggest adverse fetal effects from fetal decompression illness and hyperbaric oxygen exposure. 1
2. Scuba diving is named directly on the list of activities to avoid while pregnant, alongside skydiving and exercise above 6,000 feet. 2
3. Nitrogen dissolves into body tissues under pressure at depth, and if the ascent is too fast it comes out of solution as bubbles that interfere with blood flow and tissue oxygenation. 3
4. Decompression illness can occur even in divers who carefully followed standard decompression tables and the principles of safe diving, so a conservative profile is not a guarantee. 3
5. Seven of the eleven national physical activity guidelines reviewed worldwide specifically warned against scuba diving in pregnancy, one of the strongest points of agreement across countries. 4

Is scuba diving safe in each trimester?

• First trimester. The advice starts at conception rather than at a particular week. If you dive and are trying to conceive, most dive medicine bodies suggest stopping once pregnancy is possible.
• Second trimester. Feeling well does not change the physics. Nasal congestion is also very common in pregnancy, which makes equalizing on descent harder and raises the odds of ear and sinus barotrauma.
• Third trimester. Diving stays off the list. Surface snorkeling, swimming and water aerobics give you the water time without any pressure change.