The Relationship of Military Imposed Marital Separations on Maternal Acceptance of Pregnancy

The effect of military deployment and perceived availability and source of community support on women’s acceptance of pregnancy were examined in each trimester of pregnancy at four military bases. The sample was 503 primigravida or multigravida women eligible for care in the military medical system. Military deployment and community support had a statistically significant effect on pregnancy acceptance. Gravidas with deployed husbands had higher conflict for accepting pregnancy than gravidas without deployed spouses. Community support had a significant positive effect on pregnancy acceptance. Women perceiving support predominantly from off-base versus on-base communities had significantly higher conflict with acceptance of pregnancy. Findings point to improved maternal acceptance of pregnancy with paternal presence and community support in the event of military deployment.