Observational studyWomen's health issues : official publication of the Jacobs Institute of Women's Health
An exploratory analysis of factors associated with spontaneous preterm birth among pregnant veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder.
Observational study in Women's health issues : official publication of the Jacobs Institute of Women's Health. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. An erratum has been issued. Cited by 8 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
8 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 8 citations in OpenAlex.
- An Evidence Map of the Women Veterans' Health Literature, 2016 to 2023: A Systematic Review.JAMA network open · 2025Pooled it
- Exploring trauma-informed prenatal care preferences through diverse pregnant voices.BMC health services research · 2025Trial
- Association Between Mental Illness and Risk of Severe Maternal Morbidity in Pregnant Veterans.Obstetrics and gynecology · 2026Article
- Perinatal substance use among United States veterans and servicemembers: A scoping review of the literature.Translational issues in psychological science · 2026Article
- Severe maternal morbidity and potential disparities by race and rurality among VA-covered births, 2010 to 2020.American journal of obstetrics and gynecology · 2025Article
- Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Reproductive Health Care and Outcomes Among Female Veterans: A Scoping Review.Health equity · 2025Review
- Pregnancy Outcomes of Women Veterans with Autoimmune Disease.Women's health reports (New Rochelle, N.Y.) · 2024Article
- Physical Fitness in Relationship to Depression and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder During Pregnancy Among U.S. Army Soldiers.Journal of women's health (2002) · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
- Erratum issued
Authors and funding
9 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundPregnant veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are at increased risk for spontaneous preterm birth, yet the underlying reasons are unclear. We examined factors associated with spontaneous preterm birth among pregnant veterans with active PTSD.
methodsThis was an observational study of births from administrative databases reimbursed by the Veterans Health Association (VA) between 2005 and 2015. Singleton livebirths among veterans with active PTSD within 12 months prior to childbirth were included. The primary outcome was spontaneous preterm birth. Maternal demographics, psychiatric history, and pregnancy complications were evaluated as exposures. Covariates significant on bivariate analysis, as well as age and race/ethnicity as a social construct, were included in multivariable logistic regression to identify factors associated with spontaneous preterm birth. Additional analyses stratified significant covariates by the presence of active concurrent depression and explored interactions between antidepressant use and preeclampsia.
resultsOf 3,242 eligible births to veterans with active PTSD, 249 (7.7%) were spontaneous preterm births. The majority of veterans with active PTSD (79.1%) received some type of mental health treatment, and active concurrent depression was prevalent (61.4%). Preeclampsia/eclampsia (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 3.30, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.67-6.54) and ≥6 antidepressant medication dispensations within 12 months prior to childbirth (aOR 1.89, 95% CI 1.29-2.77) were associated with spontaneous preterm birth. No evidence of interaction was seen between antidepressant use and preeclampsia on spontaneous preterm birth (p=0.39). Findings were similar when stratified by active concurrent depression.
conclusionAmong veterans with active PTSD, preeclampsia/eclampsia and ≥6 antidepressant dispensations were associated with spontaneous preterm birth. While the results do not imply that people should discontinue needed antidepressants during pregnancy in veterans with PTSD, research into these factors might inform preterm birth prevention strategies for this high-risk population.
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