Women and Diving

In brief: Women who want to scuba dive should be physically fit and should not be overly dependent on a male diving buddy. In his discussion on diving and menstruation, the author says that postmenopausal women can dive safely, and those who are menstruating can dive within the limits of their comfort. He stresses that pregnant women and women who are trying to become pregnant should not dive. Women who use oral contraceptives should dive conservatively, because it is not known if birth control pills increase the risk of decompression sickness. The author also discusses thermal balance problems and when to resume diving after childbirth.