Background: Pregnant women with a spouse deployed in the military are at increased risk of depression and self-reported stress in comparison to those without a deployed spouse. In non-military populations, women who experience anxiety, depression, and stress during pregnancy face increased risk of adverse birth outcomes. This study aims to determine the association between a spouse's deployment and adverse birth outcomes in a military population. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study at Madigan Army Medical Center (MAMC) that examined birth records of all singleton deliveries to dependent spouses from September 2001-September 2011. Logistic regression was used to estimate relative risks and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of the associations between deployment and low birthweight (LBW,

This multi-disciplinary resource provides an overview of perinatal mental and physical health issues within the military population. Perinatal mental health has far-reaching implications for military readiness. The text provides insights to the effects of military culture on identification, evaluation, and treatment of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders and is an invaluable resource for military and civilian primary and behavioral health providers.

Nearly 1.9 million U.S. troops have been deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq since October 2001. Many service members and veterans face serious challenges in readjusting to normal life after returning home. This initial book presents findings on the most critical challenges, and lays out the blueprint for the second phase of the study to determine how best to meet the needs of returning troops and their families.

U.S. military personnel are required to adhere to standards of body composition, fitness, and appearance to achieve and maintain readiness--that is, the maintenance of optimum health and performance so they are ready for deployment at any moment. In 1992, the Committee on Military Nutrition Research reviewed the existing standards and found, among other things, that the standards for body composition required for women to achieve an appearance goal seemed to conflict with those necessary to ensure the ability to perform many types of military tasks. This report addresses that conflict, and reviews and makes recommendations about current policies governing body composition and fitness, as well as postpartum return-to-duty standards, Military Recommended Dietary Allowances, and physical activity and nutritional practices of military women to determine their individual and collective impact on the health, fitness, and readiness of active-duty women.

presented in the Introduction (Chapter 1). The focus of Chapter 1 is twofold: (1) to present the research foundations for the psychophysiological correlates of prenatal psychosocial adaptation and the seven prenatal personality dimensions with progress in labor and birth outcomes, and particularly (2) to present the theory underlying the seven dimensions of prenatal psychosocial adaptation, which are further analyzed in the following seven chapters. Chapters 2–8 present a content analysis of the interview responses to the seven significant prenatal personality dimensions that are predictive of pregnancy adap- tion, progress in labor, birth outcomes, and postpartum maternal psychosocial adaptation, and they include: (1) Acceptance of Pregnancy, (2) Identification with a Motherhood Role, (3) Relationship with Mother, (4) Relationship with Husband, (5) Preparation for Labor, (6) (Prenatal) Fear of Pain, Helplessness, and Loss of Control in Labor, and (7) (Prenatal) Fear of Loss of Self-Esteem in Labor. There is no other comparable comprehensive, in-depth, prenatal personality research or empirical and content analysis of pregnancy-specific dimensions of maternal psychosocial adaptation to pregnancy.

The U.S. military has been continuously engaged in foreign conflicts for over two decades. The strains that these deployments, the associated increases in operational tempo, and the general challenges of military life affect not only service members but also the people who depend on them and who support them as they support the nation â€" their families. Family members provide support to service members while they serve or when they have difficulties; family problems can interfere with the ability of service members to deploy or remain in theater; and family members are central influences on whether members continue to serve. In addition, rising family diversity and complexity will likely increase the difficulty of creating military policies, programs and practices that adequately support families in the performance of military duties. Strengthening the Military Family Readiness System for a Changing American Society examines the challenges and opportunities facing military families and what is known about effective strategies for supporting and protecting military children and families, as well as lessons to be learned from these experiences. This report offers recommendations regarding what is needed to strengthen the support system for military families.

The fourth edition of this book updates and elaborates on the seven dimensions of maternal emotional health that have significant impact on delivery, postpartum adaptation, infant health, and early childhood development. Supported by the authors’ original research and interviews, the book provides readers with an analysis of the role of these core functions throughout pregnancy, as well as practical materials for use with pregnant clients in the form of assessment instruments and evidence-based interventions for promoting positive development. The book provides a theoretical framework with rationales for the seven psychosocial dimensions, therapeutic and counseling intervention strategies to improve adaptive development in each of the seven psychosocial dimensions, findings specific to women in diverse cultural groups, a chapter devoted to women in the military and military spouses, and discussion of salient issues of pregnancy, including physical changes, body image, intimacy, trust, and ambivalence. The book focuses on the seven dimensions of maternal prenatal emotional health: Acceptance of the pregnancy. Motivation and preparation for motherhood. Relationship with husband/partner. Relationship with her own mother. Preparation for labor. Sense of control in labor Self-Esteem and Well-Being in labor. Psychosocial Adaptation to Pregnancy is a significant addition to the psychosocial assessment literature, a needed resource for clinical and health psychologists, clinical social workers, marriage and family therapists, professional counselors, midwives, and obstetrical nurses. It is also adaptable to undergraduate and graduate courses in maternal reproductive health and obstetrical nursing.