What is a Decompression Baby?

My mother Carol Gill undergoing pre-natal abdominal decompression therapy at her home in Letchworth Garden City, 9 days before my birth in May 1968.

A Decompression Baby is a child born of a mother who underwent prenatal abdominal decompression therapy during pregnancy and/or childbirth.

The basic principle behind decompression therapy is very simple: By reducing the atmospheric pressure on the pregnant mother’s belly using a simple vacuum pump, the pressure on her uterus and placenta is lowered, allowing an increased supply of blood — and therefore oxygen — to flow to the unborn baby.

The inventors of decompression therapy claimed that it results in:

  • Easier, safer pregnancies
  • Shorter and less painful childbirth
  • Healthier, more intelligent children

The technique was originally developed by O. S. Heyns, D.Sc. in the late fifties and early sixties, and was practiced in South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States for about a decade before slipping out of medical vogue in those countries. Interestingly, it it is still routinely offered by the national health service in Slovenia!

I am a decompression baby.

15 thoughts on “What is a Decompression Baby?

  1. I am a decompression baby (born in 1965) and I have very unusual abilities/talents as well as disabilities…I would like to find out whether other babies who were part of the South African study group have similar issues.

    • My daughter was born in July 1970 in Johannesburg after various sessions of decompressionalthough it was not used in the birth. A very easy birth, followed by a very grizzly baby who continued grizzling until she was an adult,although am sure this is a coincidence! No defects, and not particularly brighter than kids of her age. People never believe me when I tell them I had decompression. Is it still available here in the UK. Thanks and best wishes Mandy

    • My daughter was born in July 1970 in Johannesburg after various sessions of decompressionalthough it was not used in the birth. A very easy birth, followed by a very grizzly baby who continued grizzling until she was an adult,although am sure this is a coincidence! No defects, and not particularly brighter than kids of her age. People never believe me when I tell them I had decompression. Is it still available here in the UK. Thanks and best wishes Mandy

    • I was also a decompression baby born in 1965 in Canada. What are your unusual abilities / disabilities? I was never part of a study group, but was one of only a few decompression babies born in Canada.
      Claire Nieslen

  2. I am also a decompression baby.

    I was born in 1968 and am markedly different from my three siblings who were not decompressed during my mother’s pregnancy with them. My mother tells me that I started acting very differently to my siblings from 2-3 years of age.

    I do have a higher than average IQ and and am very inventive, but have found it hard to fit in with other ‘normal’ people.

    I am still unsure if this is a blessing or a curse.

  3. I have a son Paul Sakrzewski born I n 1967, I built one of these machines, my wife used it each day for 30 minutes for the last 3 months of her pregnancy, he is very intelligent. Col S akrzewski.

  4. Caro Tony Gill,
    sto rifacendo quelle ricerche già fatte una ventina di anni fa, riscrivendo a ditte ed ambasciate in un qualche modo collegate alla produzione di apparecchiature per la “Decompression Baby”. Ma, come vent’ anni fa, non credo di ottenere risultati:
    Per es.: La Witwatersrand University non mi risponderà… come non mi ha risposto allora…
    Comunque Vi terrò informati…
    Però, con l’ aiuto di un mio giovane amico studente all’ Istituto Tecnico Geometri (per i disegni), penso di poterlo fare io un progetto di massima dell’ apparecchiattura “D\B”.
    Cordiali saluti. nonno tòtò
    -traduzione-
    Dear Tony Gill,
    I am redoing those researches already made about twenty years ago, rewriting to companies and embassies in some way connected to the production of equipment for the “Decompression Baby”. But, like twenty years ago, I don’t think I get results:
    For example: Witwatersrand University will not answer me… As he did not answer me then…
    Anyway I will keep you informed…
    However, with the help of a young student of mine at the Technical Geometri Institute (for drawings), I think I can do a project for the general apparatus “DB”.
    Kind regards. Grandfather tòtò

  5. Caro Tony,
    Mio nipote Matteo [“decompression baby” fatto il casa !] mi ha appena telefonato che all’esame di cardiologia alla facoltà di odontoiatria dell’ Un. di Bologna… ha avuto un altro 30-e-lode (che nelle università italiane è il massimo ! ! !). Se ci fosse ancora il Prof. Heyns glielo direi anche a Lui…
    Cordiali saluti.
    nonno Totò

    • 18 LUGLIO 2022 :
      MIO NIPOTE MATTEO SEGAFREDO SI E’ LAUREATO PRESSO LA “Bononiae Alma Mater Studiorum” (L’ Università di Bologna) IN ODONTOJATRIA con 110 e LODE !
      Grazie Prof. Heyns… Grazie Tony !

  6. Bolzano [I], 30 maggio 2019
    Caro Tony,
    durante il colloquio avuto con un tecnico del “NOI Techpark” della provincia di Bolzano\Bozen [agenzia di innovazione tecnologica e sviluppo industriale] mi è stato consigliato di rivolgermi alla “Camera di Commercio” di qui per fare una ricerca sul “brevetto internazionale” della “decompression baby”. Attraverso di questa sarà possibile sapere se il “brevetto” è scaduto, quante “licenze” sono state concesse ed “a chi”. Dovrebbe essere anche possibile venire in possesso di disegni e misure dell’ apparecchiatura di “d\b” e dei nomi ed indirizzi della Ditta titolare del brevetto e delle Ditte “licenziatarie” Così dovrebbe essere più facile rifare disegni e progetti….
    Avvierò al più presto questa ricerca e Ti terrò informato.
    Cordiali saluti. nonno Totò
    Ps. Il funzionario consiglia di fare la stessa ricerca anche a N.Y., perché ci potrebbe essere qualche ditta che ancora produce l’ apparecchiatura con “licenza di brevetto” scaduta !
    -tr-
    Bolzano [I], 30 May 2019
    Dear Tony,
    During the interview with a technician of the “NOI Techpark” of BolzanoBozen province [Agency of technological Innovation and Industrial development] I was advised to address myself to the “Chamber of Commerce” of here to do a research on the “Decompression Baby” international patent. Through this it will be possible to know if the “patent” has expired, how many “licenses” were granted and “to whom”. It should also be possible to possess drawings and measurements of the equipment of “d\b” and the names and addresses of the firm that holds the patent and the companies “Licenatarie” so it should be easier to redo drawings and projects….
    I will start this research as soon as possible and keep you informed.
    Kind regards. Grandphather Totò

    Ps. The official recommends doing the same research also in N.Y., because there might be some company that still manufactures the equipment with “patent license” Expired!

  7. As far as I know (by what my mother told me) I was the first decompression baby in Alberta and maybe Canada, followed by my younger brother 2 years later. I was born in Calgary in July 1965. My mother was friends with a woman called Cathy Smith who was a nurse (or midwife) who had just come back from South Africa with 3 of the Heyns Decompression Units. She told my mother that she would be the first in Alberta to use the unit. I would be interested in connecting also with other Decompression Babies. Both my brother and I have high IQ’s (but not necessarily associated with the use of the unit) and are both very intuitive and in the health fields as professions.

  8. My wife, her BFF and her sister had (ante-natal treatment only) decompression babies at UCL in London in 1967, 1968 and 1969. None of them were followed up by UCL in any way.
    Based on my experiences of these three children I certainly would not recommend decompression treatment for anyone. I can only assume that it isn’t in regular use anywhere (except Slovenia) for a good reason.

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