RT Journal
A1 Hill R, Jr
T1 Pregnancy and travel: The risks of hepatitis and scuba diving
JF JAMA
JO JAMA
YR 1989
FD July 28
VO 262
IS 4
SP 498
OP 498
DO 10.1001/jama.1989.03430040067016
UL http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jama.1989.03430040067016
AB To the Editor.— 
    I enjoyed the excellent article by Drs Barry and Bia1 entitled "Pregnancy and Travel," but as a hyperbaricist and scuba diving instructor/ trainer, I am concerned about their discussion on pregnancy and scuba diving. Their statement that "scuba diving to depths greater than 18 m (60 ft) is not considered safe" could be construed to imply that diving to lesser depths is safe for the pregnant diver, a position that is questionable.Though the studies they quoted on sheep fetuses showed no decompression sickness, sheep are often more resistant to decompression sickness than are humans, and studies involving other animal models have shown the fetus to be more sensitive to decompression sickness." Bolton and Alamo5 have shown severe damage to animal fetuses exposed to pressurization, even when the mother did not develop decompression sickness. Human survey data indicate that though the respondents dove to an