Pregnant vets face mental health risks

NEW HAVEN, Conn., Dec. 22 (UPI) -- U.S. women war veterans may face a higher risk of mental health problems when pregnant, researchers say.

Researchers led by Kristin Mattocks of the Yale University School of Medicine in New Haven, Conn., say the hormonal and physiological changes involved in pregnancy may worsen or bring on mental health conditions -- such as depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder -- associated with war zone military service.

The study, published in Journal of Women's Health -- finds the stress associated with military service in a war zone may later contribute to an increased risk of mental health problems when a woman veteran becomes pregnant.

Mattocks and colleagues reviewed the records of more than 43,000 women veterans who served in Iraq or Afghanistan and completed military service from 2001 to 2008.

"With the increased number of women serving in the military, it is important that we understand their unique health issues such as mental health problems during pregnancy," Dr. Susan Kornstein of the Virginia Commonwealth University Institute for Women's Health and editor in chief of the Journal of Women's Health says in a statement.