https://aub.ie/MilitaryREACH-Nillni2021

Nillni, Y. I., Fox, A. B., Cox, K., Paul, E., Vogt, D., & Galovski, T. E. (2022). The impact of military sexual trauma and warfare exposure on women veterans’ perinatal outcomes. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 14(5), 730–737. https://doi.org/10.1037/tra0001095

With a sample of 911 women Veterans who experienced a pregnancy after entering the military, this study examined the associations between military sexual trauma, warfare exposure, and perinatal outcomes (i.e., preterm or full-term birth, infant birth weight, postpartum depression/anxiety) while considering relevant characteristics (i.e., age at pregnancy, childhood violence exposure, racial/ethnic minority status). After accounting for relevant factors, military sexual trauma—but not warfare exposure—was related to negative perinatal outcomes.

https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/tra0001095

Children
Parents
Trauma
Physical health
Veterans

Army
Navy
Air Force
Coast Guard
Marine Corps
Multiple branches

Active Duty
Veteran

Active duty service member
Veteran

Adulthood (18 yrs & older)
Young adulthood (18 - 29 yrs)
Thirties (30 - 39 yrs)
Middle age (40 - 64 yrs)

Cross sectional study
Quantitative Study
Secondary Analysis

Nillni, Yael I., Fox, Annie B., Cox, Koriann, Paul, Emilie, Vogt, Dawne, Galovski, Tara E.

Objective: In the general population, history of trauma is associated with a range of adverse perinatal outcomes, which have long-term negative consequences for both mother and child. Research examining the impact of trauma, particularly trauma occurring during military service, on perinatal outcomes among women veterans is still in its nascence. The current study examined if warfare exposure and military sexual trauma (MST) contributed unique variance to the prediction of a broad range of adverse perinatal outcomes (i.e., preterm birth, full-term birth, infant birth weight, postpartum depression and/or anxiety). Method: Women veterans living across the U.S. (oversampled for veterans living in high crime communities) completed a mail-based survey, and reported information about all pregnancies that occurred since enlistment in the military. They also reported on warfare exposure and MST using the Deployment Risk and Resilience Inventory. Results: A total of 911 women reported on 1,752 unique pregnancies. Results revealed that MST, but not warfare exposure, was associated with having a lower infant birth weight (B = −17.30, SE = 5.41), a slight decrease in the likelihood of having a full-term birth (OR = .97, 95% CI [.93, 1.00]), and an increased likelihood of experiencing postpartum depression and/or anxiety (OR = 1.09, 95% CI [1.10, 1.14]) above and beyond age at pregnancy, racial/ethnic minority status, childhood violence exposure, and warfare exposure. Conclusions: Findings highlight the importance of screening for MST during pregnancy and trauma-informed obstetric care. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

American Psychological Association

Article
REACH Publication

National Center for PTSD, Women's Health Sciences Division at VA Boston Healthcare System, YIN
Department of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, YIN