I had a pregnant (first trimester) lady inquire about firearms classes for her and her husband. I told her that I would be glad to teach her, but only upon receipt of a statement from her Dr. saying that it would be safe for her fetus to do so. I've had several similar requests over the years, with identical requirements by me, and have never received a statement from a Dr. saying it would be safe to shoot during pregnancy. I haven't found any concrete evidence, either way. I won't risk damaging the hearing of an unborn child, but here are a couple of considerations.....
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•A typical conversation occurs at 60 dB - not loud enough to cause damage.
•A bulldozer that is idling (note that this is idling, not actively bulldozing) is loud enough at 85 dB that it can cause permanent damage after only 1 work day (8 hours).
•When listening to music on earphones at a standard volume level 5, the sound generated reaches a level of 100 dB, loud enough to cause permanent damage after just 15 minutes per day!
•A clap of thunder from a nearby storm (120 dB) or a gunshot (140-190 dB, depending on weapon), can both cause immediate damage.
then this........
http://www.theppsc.org/Staff_Views/Czarnecki/pregnant_officer.htm
Noise usually is considered to be detrimental during pregnancy. In most European countries, health regulations forbid pregnant women from working in surroundings with a continuous noise level greater than 80 dB or a rapid-impulse noise level greater than 40 dB, which is much less than the noise of a firearm [6]. In the United States, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration permissible exposure limit for rapid-impulse noise is 140 dB, with additional regulations for continuous noise. The sound levels of firearms are about 125 to 140 dB for rimfire rifles; 140 to 150 dB for rimfire pistols; and 150 to 160 dB for centerfire rifles, pistols, and shotguns.
Intrauterine measurements showed that the fetus was not significantly protected against loud noises . One study in human volunteers found a maximal intrauterine noise attenuation of 10 dB at 4000 Hz [9]. In a study of ewes, the noise attenuation was 20 dB at 4000 Hz, but the noise inside the uterus was 2 to 5 dB greater at 250 Hz . In comparison, foam plugs offer attenuation of 12 to 20 dB and are considered to be the least effective hearing protection .
Noise exposure during pregnancy has been associated with several disorders, including miscarriage, intrauterine growth retardation, preterm delivery, hearing loss in babies and children, altered immune response in the fetus, and hypertension. A combined exposure to noise and lead seems to have an increased toxicity, causing heart lesions, which are not observed for those agents alone.
For information only.....