Fetal development: effects of stimulated diving and hyperbaric oxygen treatment.

Fetuses from hamsters exposed to repetitive 5.2-ATA (140 fsw) air dives during early pregnancy showed no significant differences from the control group in birth weight, frequency of malformation, or death. Also, exposure of mothers to hyperbaric oxygen as required for treatment of decompression sickness (DCS) has no adverse effect on fetal development or survival. Although the number of females who suffered and survived DCS in this study was small (n = 3), teratogenic effects were nevertheless found among the fetuses of this group. In fact, at least one fetus from each female undergoing DCS was found to have serious malformations. These results suggest that DCS during early organogenesis may have significant deleterious effects on fetal development.