Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in a Cohort of Pregnant Active Duty U.S. Military Servicewomen

Abstract

The present study aimed to describe the demographic and occupational characteristics, comorbidities, and psychotropic medication receipt associated with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnosis during pregnancy among a sample of active duty U.S. military servicewomen. Data from the U.S. Department of Defense Birth and Infant Health Research program were used to identify pregnancies in active duty servicewomen from 2007 through 2014. Demographic and occupational data were linked with electronic medical and pharmacy records to capture mental health diagnoses and medication receipt dates. Cases of PTSD were identified by the presence of ICD‐9‐CM Diagnostic Code 309.81 on maternal records from 1 year before the date of the last menstrual period through the end of pregnancy. Of 134,244 identified pregnancies among active duty servicewomen, 2,240 (1.7%) met the case criteria for PTSD. Women with a PTSD diagnosis compared to those without a PTSD diagnosis were more likely to be White non‐Hispanic (51.3% vs. 47.4%), unmarried (33.3% vs. 28.2%), in the Army (49.6% vs. 35.8%) or Marine Corps (10.9% vs. 8.0%), in a service and supply occupation (18.2% vs. 13.6%), and to have a junior enlisted rank (56.3% vs. 50.1%) and have been previously deployed (51.2% vs. 39.6%), RRs = 1.15–1.75. Among PTSD cases, the most common mental health comorbidities were depressive disorder (60.9%), adjustment disorder (43.4%), and anxiety disorder (39.3%). During pregnancy, 44.2% of PTSD cases and 7.2% of noncases received psychotropic medications. Demographic and occupational characteristics, comorbidities, and psychotropic medication use differed substantially among PTSD cases and noncases in this large records‐based study.