Military pregnancies and adverse perinatal outcome.

OBJECTIVE: To identify significant risk factors for an adverse outcome in active-duty military women. METHODS: A prospective study of 105 pregnancies and their outcome. RESULTS: The data revealed that: (1) single women more than married personnel had cesarean births when compared with forceps and vacuum (P < 0.03) or spontaneous vaginal delivery (P < 0.04); and (2) active-duty women who gained < 25 pounds during pregnancy developed preterm labor more often (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Risk factors for these adverse outcomes remain unknown.

Factors adversely affecting pregnancy outcome in the military.

This prospective study was undertaken to identify the significant risk factors associated with adverse pregnancy outcome in active-duty women. The deliveries of 300 consecutive pregnancies of active-duty women were assessed for maternal-fetal outcome. The risk factors evaluated were: marital status, parity, race, smoking and alcohol consumption while pregnant, maternal weight gain during pregnancy, maternal height, and educational level. Two-thirds of these women were junior enlisted personnel (rank E-4 or below) and worked under demanding job conditions over which they had little control. Increased age as a risk factor was associated with a significant increase in pregnancy-associated complications of cesarean birth, operative vaginal delivery, pregnancy-induced hypertension, preterm labor, maternal transport for fetal indications, intrauterine growth restriction, intrauterine fetal death, postpartum hemorrhage, placenta previa, and 5-minute Apgar scores < 7 (p = 0.039). In gravidas more than 65 inches in height with a weight gain more than 42 pounds, there was a significant increase in the complications of pregnancy (p = 0.022). Interactions of these risk factors yielded a significant age (p = 0.025), maternal height (p = 0.007), and height times weight gain interaction (p = 0.006) association with pregnancy complications. The risk factors of advancing maternal age and tall stature with a maternal weight gain of more than 42 pounds are associated with increased pregnancy complications of active-duty women.

Martial status and military occupational specialty: neither factor has a selective adverse effect on pregnancy outcome.

This investigation was undertaken to determine whether there is a relationship between martial status or military occupational specialty (MOS) and pregnancy outcome in and active-duty population. In this prospective, descriptive study 312 active-duty women were identified as married or single and stratified into four groups on the basis of MOS: group I (n = 144), mild to moderate mental stress; group II (n = 43), intensive mental stress; group III (n = 72), exposure to hazardous material; and group IV (n = 53), physical stress. Each patient group was evaluated to determine the incidence of medical complications. One hundred ninety-three of the service women were married and 70 were single. There was no significant difference between pregnancy complications and martial status. In spite of considerable stress and hazardous exposure the incidence of medical complications of pregnancy observed among groups (group I = 67%, group II = 58%, group III = 48% and group IV = 53%) was not significantly different. On the basis of the findings of this study we conclude that martial status and MOS did not significantly influence military pregnancy outcome.