The Impact of Pregnancy on U.S. Army Readiness

The impact of pregnancy on U.S. Army readiness came to the forefront following the Persian Gulf War and the large-scale deployment of military servicewomen. Some deploying units reported that non-deployable rates for pregnancy among women were as much as 30% of those assigned. Numerous studies were conducted to determine the impact of pregnancy on Army readiness and different conclusions were drawn. From a tactical perspective the numbers of non-deployable for pregnancy are more than 16% in support units with a high concentration of female soldiers. Pregnancy in these units has a great impact on readiness, as well as the experience of the pregnant soldier.