Abstract
The number of women serving in the United States (US) armed forces has more than tripled since 2000. The increased number of women highlights some areas of vulnerability, especially during the perinatal period, that are not currently being addressed. Compared to civilians, women in the military are more likely to have experienced adverse childhood experiences and intimate partner violence. They are also at higher risk for military sexual trauma than their male counterparts. For pregnant women, past or current violence increases the risk for adverse birth outcomes, such as preterm birth and low birth weight. During pregnancy and postpartum, military mothers are at higher risk for depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and suicidal ideation than civilian mothers. The purpose of this review is to summarize recent studies on women in the military, examining rates of violence and adverse outcomes related to their experiences of violence. The findings do not allow us to understand underlying mechanisms but can describe associations. Overall, the findings are bleak but could become a call to action. With intervention, these outcomes can improve. However, we must first realize that a problem exists, which the present article highlights.