Did you know that…..

A recent study affirms that the women veterans of war with a pregnancy were twice as likely to have a diagnosis of Depression, Anxiety, Post-traumatic stress, Bipolar disorder, or Schizophrenia as the women veterans without pregnancy ?

This qualified investigation: “Pregnancy and Mental Health between Women Returning Veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan“, has been directed by Kristin M. Hoes, PH. D., and has been published in the Journal of Women’s Health (Volume 19, Number 12).
Many soldiers experience an important stress during the military service that can have lingering effects. The women veterans, like the men, commonly experience problems of mental health after the military service.

The aim of that study was to determine the prevalence of mental health problem between 43.078 pregnant women veterans (between the ages of 18 and 50), which received care in the Veterans Health Administration system.

The authors of that study state that untreated mental problems during pregnancy may produce preterm delivery, and low birth weight.

Since the beginning of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan more than 170.000 female soldiers have been deployed in those countries (7.500 in Vietnam, and 41.000 in Gulf war).

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(Edited by Dr. María Moya Guirao, MD)