Pregnancy outcomes among US Gulf War veterans: A population-based survey of 30,000 veterans

PURPOSE: We evaluated an association between veterans' Gulf War service and reported adverse pregnancy Outcomes. METHODS: We conducted a health survey in which selected reproductive outcom es of a population-based sample of 15,000 Gulf War veterans representing fo ur military branches and three unit components (active, reserve, and Nation al Guard) were compared to those of 15,000 non-Gulf veteran controls. RESULTS: Male Gulf veterans, compared with their non-Gulf veteran controls, reported a significantly higher rate of miscarriage (odds ratio [OR] = 1.6 2; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.32-1.99). Female Gulf veterans also rep orted more miscarriages than their respective controls, although their exce ss was not statistically significant (OR= 1.35; CI = 0.97-1.89). Both men a nd women deployed to the Gulf theater reported significant excesses of birt h defects among their liveborn infants. These excess rates also extended to the subset of "moderate to severe" birth defects [males: OR= 1.78 (CI = 1. 19-2.66); females: OR = 2.80 (CI = 1.26-6.25)]. No statistically significan t differences by deployment status were found among men or women for stillb irths, pre-term deliveries or infant mortality. CONCLUSION: The risk of veterans reporting birth defects among their childr en was significantly associated with veteran's military service in the Gulf War. This observation needs to lie confirmed by a review of medical record s to rule out possible reporting bias. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Inc. All r ights reserved.