Pregnancy outcome in an active-duty population

Area of Science:

• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Military Medicine
• Public Health

Background:

• The number of women in the military has increased, with pregnancy no longer a reason for discharge.
• Previous research indicates a link between active military service and poorer pregnancy outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare pregnancy outcomes between active-duty servicewomen and dependent wives of military personnel.
• To identify specific high-risk pregnancy complications in active-duty women.

Main Methods:

• A comparative study matched 331 active-duty pregnant women with 1218 control subjects (dependent wives).
• Examined outcomes included cesarean/operative vaginal delivery rates, Apgar scores, preterm complications, hypertensive syndromes, and intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR).

Main Results:

• Active-duty servicewomen showed significantly higher rates of primary cesarean delivery (P < .001).
• Higher incidences of transfer for preterm complications (P < .0001), pregnancy-induced hypertensive syndromes (P < .01), and IUGR (P < .05) were observed in the active-duty group.
• Active-duty servicewomen represent a high-risk obstetric population.

Conclusions:

• Active-duty military women experience a greater incidence of adverse pregnancy outcomes compared to non-active-duty counterparts.
• Despite work limitations and healthcare access, servicewomen face elevated obstetric risks.
• This highlights the need for targeted prenatal care and monitoring for active-duty personnel.