The purpose of this multisite investigation is to attempt to quantify risk or establish baseline rates for the offspring of female soldiers by career management field or military occupational specialty for the following outcomes: spontaneous abortions, ectopic pregnancies, intrauterine fetal demise, preterm birth (PB), low birth weight (LBW), preterm and low birth weight infant, and congenital abnormalities. Currently, 3779 subjects have been enrolled, which consist of 1026 soldiers, 164 daughters of soldiers or military retirees, 2572 spouses of active duty soldiers or retirees, and 20 women classified as other.

This study compared the unplanned pregnancy rate in soldiers against wives and daughters of soldiers. In addition, this investigation evaluated the relationships between a soldier's job, classified into specific job categories, as well as, some of the more common military occupational specialties and spontaneous abortion, small for gestational age, and preterm birth. This investigation found that pregnant soldiers who reside in the barracks demonstrated an unplanned pregnancy rate of 77.9 percent. The odds ratio for unplanned pregnancy in barracks residents was 4.32(3.24-5.78) and the odds ratio for pregnant barracks residents and never previously utilizing oral contraceptives was 2.55(1.87-3.48). These results may suggest access barriers to health care. Soldiers in the logistics job category demonstrated an increased risk of spontaneous abortion, the odds ratio was 1.87(1.20-2.93), within the logistics job category soldiers in MOS 92A demonstrated an odds ratio of 2.55(1.48-4.37). No other occupations were found to be at risk for spontaneous abortion. Soldiers were not, and no soldier job categories were identified at increased risk of S% or preterm birth. The most important predictors of SGA were Asian race 1.75(1.06-2.88), Black race 2.32(1.72-3.13), cigarette use 1/2 to 1 pack per day 2.17(1.45-3.26), and cigarette use more than 1 pack per day 2.71(1.17-6.29). The most important predictors of preterm birth were Black race 2.32(1.72-3.13) and cigarette use less than 1/2 per day 1.59(1.05-2.39).

War-related separations challenge families in many ways. The worry and uncertainty associated with combat deployments provokes anxiety in family members left at home. Lengthy separations may challenge the personal, social, and economic coping resources of families at home. In this war, thanks to medical advances, many service members who previously would have died of their injuries are returning home to live long, although altered lives. As a result, families are facing the additional challenge of assisting service members who have experienced amputation, traumatic brain injury, and psychological wounds. These challenges are faced not only by service members in the active component of the armed forces, but also by service members in the National Guard and Reserves. In response, the Department of Defense has launched unprecedented efforts to support service members and families before, during and after deployment in all locations of the country as well as in remote locations. These support efforts are focused not only on medical care, but also mental health care and logistical support. Research about families and war tends to move forward in fits and starts associated with major conflicts, and there is currently an increasing flow of family research moving into the scientific domain. Military Families and the Aftermath of Deployment focuses heavily on the aftermath of deployment for families. It is the first compilation of such chapters released in relation to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and includes contributions from leading researchers from diverse disciplines and arenas, including universities, the Veterans Administration, and the Department of Defense, as well as international researchers from Canada, and Croatia, among others. This work will be of use to graduate students and researchers in family studies, social work, counseling, military science, psychology and sociology.

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,

In 2009, RAND launched the Deployment Life Study to study military family readiness. This report presents analyses on marital relationships, family environment, psychological and behavioral health, child well-being, and military integration.

This report identifies challenges that Army families face and resources they need, from the perspectives of spouses, including how spouses prioritize needs and how the Army can best address their most-pressing unmet needs.

The purpose of the research strategy described in this document is to develop a sharper and more targeted focus on research that will ultimately lead to improvements in the long-term health status of members of the military who are deployed to different parts of the world to carry out the military mission of the United States. The research strategy broadly focuses on four areas: (1) assessments of deployment-related health outcomes; (2) assessments of deployment-related exposures; (3) research on relationships between deployment-related exposures; and (4) research on high priority deployment-related risk factors. The plan describes objectives and strategies for the six goals: (1) the U.S. government will have the capability to systematically collect population-based demographic and health data to enable longitudinal evaluation of the health of all service personnel (Active Duty, Reservist, National Guard) throughout their military career and after leaving military service; (2) the U.S. government will have the capability to collect and assess data associated with anticipated exposures during deployments; (3) the U.S. government will have the capability to monitor deployments for the appearance of novel or unanticipated health threats and to quickly deploy assets to collect and assess data relevant to any newly identified threats; (4) the U.S. government will have the coordinated capability to use exposure and health outcome data to determine whether deployment-related exposures are associated with post-deployment health outcomes; (5) develop balanced research programs targeted improved prevention, intervention, and treatment strategies for priority health risk factors; and (6) establish a wide-range of national and military collaborative research relationships to enhance these efforts.