Publication year
2015
Citation Title
Association of spouse deployment on pregnancy outcomes in a U.S. Military population.
Journal Name
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Journal Volume
126
Issue Number
3
Page Numbers
569-574
DOI
10.1097/AOG.0000000000001003
Summary
Relationships between spousal deployment, maternal outcomes, and neonatal outcomes were examined via chart review and surveys of 397 pregnant women. Pregnant women with a deployed spouse had a greater risk of preterm delivery and postpartum depression than women whose husbands were not deployed during pregnancy. No significant findings were found between the deployed and non-deployed groups regarding neonatal outcomes (e.g., birth weight).
Key Findings
Pregnant women whose spouses were deployed were three times more likely to both have a preterm delivery and experience postpartum depression than spouses of non-deployed Service members .
There were no significant differences in neonatal outcomes (e.g., birth weight, Apgar score) between the deployed and non-deployed group.
Researchers also compared traditional to group prenatal care (in which a group of eight to 12 women go through their prenatal care together in order to increase social support) and found no differences in preterm delivery or postpartum depression rates between the groups.
Implications for Program Leaders
Offer classes to military families on effective parenting practices with newborns
Provide support groups for pregnant mothers whose spouses are deployed in order to increase social support
Offer professional education to community-based obstetric and gynecological providers to inform them of the potential challenges pregnant women may face during spousal deployment
Implications for Policy Makers
Continue to support programs for Service members and their spouses who are new parents
Continue to support programs for pregnant mothers whose spouses are deployed
Recomend training for professionals who work with military families so that they can better understand the potential challenges faced by a pregnant woman whose spouse is deployed
Methods
Participants were recruited at obstetrician visits at an Army medical center at the end of their first trimester.
Prenatal data were gathered by electronic medical records, and postpartum data were gathered at participants’ postpartum visit.
Statistical analyses compared deployed vs non-deployed pregnant participants on both maternal and neonatal variables.
Participants
Participants were 397 pregnant spouses of Active Duty Soldiers.
Women were primarily White (64%), Black (17%), and Latina (11%).
Average age of women whose husbands were deployed (n = 183) was 25.4 years old (SD = 4.7) and women whose husbands did not deploy (n = 214) was 25.7 years old (SD = 4.8).
Limitations
The sample was limited to women whose spouses were deployed during the entire pregnancy; findings cannot be generalized to spouses who were deployed for a portion of the pregnancy.
A screener questionnaire was used to determine postpartum depression; women may have responded in a way they felt was more socially acceptable, which may influence results.
Participants’ spouses were from solely an Army population, which limits generalizability to spouses of Service members in other branches.
Avenues for Future Research
Investigate additional factors that may contribute to increased rates of preterm delivery and postpartum depression for military-affiliated women
Examine mothers over a longer period of time during and after spousal deployment to assess postpartum depression rates at different time intervals
Evaluate rates of preterm delivery and postpartum depression among female Service members
Focus
Army
Target Population
Population Focus
Military Branch
Military Component
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association of spousal deployment during the antenatal period on maternal and neonatal outcomes and to estimate whether group prenatal care may be beneficial in reducing adverse outcomes when spouses are deployed. METHODS: Primigravid women who delivered at Womack Army Medical Center, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, were prospectively enrolled and selected for participation on a random basis between January 2013 and January 2014. Women whose spouses were deployed to a combat zone during the entire pregnancy (deployed group) were compared with women whose spouses were not deployed during the pregnancy (nondeployed group). Pregnancy and neonatal outcomes were compared between groups. RESULTS: Three hundred ninety-seven women were enrolled with 183 (46.1%) in the deployed group and 214 (53.9%) in the nondeployed group. Spouse deployment was associated with increased risk of preterm delivery (38 [20.8%] compared with 16 [7.5%], P<.001) and postpartum depression (30 [16.4%] compared with 13 [6.1%], P=.001) when compared with women in the nondeployed group. There were no differences in the incidence of preterm delivery and postpartum depression for women in the deployed group who participated in group prenatal care when compared with women participating in traditional care (preterm delivery 6 [14.6%] compared with 32 [22.5%], P=.38; postpartum depression 4 [9.8%] compared with 26 [18.3%], P=.24). CONCLUSION: Women who have a spouse deployed during their pregnancy are at increased risk for preterm birth and postpartum depression. Larger studies are needed to evaluate whether spouse deployment during pregnancy has other perinatal effects and whether group prenatal care may have a positive effect on adverse perinatal outcomes in this population.
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