Pregnancy and scuba diving — what every agency says + what we do

In one paragraph

Don't scuba dive while pregnant. SSI, PADI, DAN (Divers Alert Network) and every other major agency advise against it at every stage of pregnancy. The risk: nitrogen absorbed by the mother's tissues passes to the fetus, but the fetus has no way to off-gas it during ascent — so theoretically risks decompression sickness in the fetus. No conclusive human studies exist (for obvious ethical reasons) — but the precautionary principle is universal.

The medical reasoning behind the universal advice

See [DAN's position statement on pregnancy and diving](https://dan.org/health-medicine/health-resources/diseases-conditions/pregnancy-and-diving/). Two specific concerns: (1) nitrogen bubbles forming in fetal tissue during ascent — the fetal lung doesn't filter nitrogen the same way the maternal lung does, so the safety margin is unknown; (2) the first-trimester risk of fetal malformations during organ development. Most agencies extend the no-dive recommendation through the entire pregnancy out of caution, not because of equal risk at every stage.

What you can still do — and the safe alternatives

Snorkeling at surface — generally considered safe (it doesn't expose tissues to nitrogen partial pressure beyond what you already breathe). Gili Air has 5+ shallow snorkel sites accessible from the beach, no boat ride needed; turtles often appear in 2–3 m of water. Freediving is also typically advised against during pregnancy due to the breath-hold pressures involved. The friendliest in-water activity: a calm float at Hans Reef from the beach with mask + snorkel.

Common questions

I'm on day 2 of a 3-day Open Water course and I just realised I might be pregnant. What do I do?

Tell your instructor immediately. We pause the course, refund the unused days, and credit your paid time toward a future certification (within 24 months). No shame, no questions. The post-trip option: take a pregnancy test, finish the course later if negative.

My partner is pregnant — can I still take the course while she snorkels?

Of course. The two activities are independent. We can run her snorkel sessions in parallel to your scuba dives — she joins the boat trip, you go below, she stays at the surface. This works particularly well for the Bounty Wreck site where the shallow part of the wreck is snorkelable.