Date: Tue, 23 Jul 1996 16:47:18 -0400
Subject: FYI: Pregnancies in Bosnia
From: Prendergast, Eloise C.
Wash Post - EarlyBird Tue 23Jul96
PREGNANCY RATE OF UNIT IN BOSNIA HITS ARMY AVERAGE
About 5% of U.S. Troops Receive Reassignments During Maternity
By Bradley Graham (Wash Post Staff Writer)
Whether in peace or war - or Bosnia - the U.S. Army is discovering that
about 5 percent of its female soldiers tend to get pregnant.
Latest statistics from Tuzla, headquarters for U.S. forces in Bosnia,
show 68 of the 1500 Army women deployed in the peace enforcement
operation dispatched back to bases in Germany because of pregnancies.
"Some commanders have expressed concern about the impact on readiness,"
said LTC Donna Boltz, an Army spokesman in Tuzla. "But the pregnancies
have not degraded operations."
Indeed, Army officials at the Pentagon said the number of pregnancies
came as no surprise to them, noting the rate equals what troops sent to
the 1991 Persian Gulf War experienced over a similar period. It also is
in line with the frequency of pregnancies among all Army women last year.
Because women constitute a relatively small share of Army forces - 9
percent of the 17,000 in Bosnia - and because they remain confined to
noncombat support roles, the Army appears inclined to accept the current
pregnancy rate as a fact of life. Spokesmen said they knew of no
initiatives to lower the rate and struck a decidedly untroubled pose when
questioned about the issue.
"We have not tried to track down, question or investigate the
pregnancies," Boltz said in a telephone interview. "We're not going to
undertake a witch hunt."
Becoming pregnant while deployed is not against military rules, but in
Bosnia it does mean automatic reassignment. Health considerations prevent
pregnant soldiers from donning weighty Kevlar body armor and heavy belts
that carry canteens, ammunition pouches, first aid kits and other
personal items, officials said.
Regulations allow Army women who become pregnant to remain on active
duty (entitled to six weeks' maternity leave) or apply for early release.
Not permitted by the Uniform Code of Military Justice, officials said,
is adultery or sexual relations between a supervisor and subordinate.
So far, none of the pregnancies in Bosnia has led to charges under the
military code, according to the Army. But military spokesman also were
unable to provide basic background data on the pregnant soldiers,
including marital status or relationship to mate.
After recording only a handful of pregnancies in the early weeks of the
Bosnia operation, which began in December, the Army reports 10 to 14
instances a month since March. Military officials cautioned against
assuming the pregnancies resulted from sexual activity in Bosnia. They
said fresh troops have rotated into the country throughout the operation,
so some female soldiers could have arrived pregnant. Moreover,
rest-and-recreation leaves up to two weeks for some U.S. troops started
in Mid-April.
It would be interesting to see how many women were using birth control pills, v. other methods. In my experience in service things don't always seem as the appear. Would it matter that the military has a tendancy to give out expired birth control pills, with no notice to use other contraceptives. This occurred in 1989 and 1990, contrary to civilian pharmacies who told me they who be liable if they did something like that. The drugs also breakdown after the expiration date and can cause toxic or an allergic reaction. Even when I asked a civil servant pharmistic at McGuire AFB, she tried to convince me it was safe to take an expired birth control pill.
Just a thought
Dorothy H. Mackey
It should matter that expired birth control medications were not only being used from 1989 to 1999...
Large garbage can containers were used to hold birth control pills during Desert Storm as well.
Those birth control pills were contained in vinyl "camouflaged" envelopes.
Besides expiration dates that should have been a concern... The unused medications were returned to this country after the Gulf War -- in less than suitable conditions for anyone to get near...
Those birth-control filled garbage cans were, to say the least, filthy. Actually, it is, most likely, safe to assume it was contaminated with that of the same of the Gulf War Syndrome.
No accountability was given for the unused birth control returned. Male soldiers freely took the camouflaged prescriptions as if some kind of cute "war" souvenir.
The "left-overs" were simply thrown away by soldiers doing "extra" duty details under the command of "supply" sergeants.
It should have mattered that "prescribed" dosages, expiration dates, storage conditions, and hazardous material situations be taken in consideration, but it didn't.
Stephanie Calender
A friend of mine was in the Air Force, then after she got out she married a man who was in the Air Force. She told me that when dependent women went to the doctor on the base, they frequently had their birth control pill perscription changed from what they were using before. The friend claimed that this was done deliberately to raise the chances of the woman getting pregnant, by using a lower strength pill. With more dependents, the husband was more likely to stay in the service.
Interestingly enough, when my friend went to the doctor on base (after getting married), he switched her to a different pill. When I asked about it in regards to her story, she explained that the pill was expensive and she could get it from the military for free.
Has anyone else heard this story? This was from 1983.
-Carol Kocian
Yes, I have but it just didn't pertain to "dependent wives". I was both an officer and a wife it was suggested on numerous occassions that I switch birth control pills. I having had problems with other pills could not switch. But, I was amased the number of women who were similiar in height, and weight as I, 5'3", 128 lbs were on extremely high doses of the pill. I was told that lo-oval was used to stop miscarriages, that is why the service wanted me off of them, to use them for high risk pregnancies. But, I later met a woman who got the outdated pills like myself, she got pregnant with them. She never had problems before, but now she was pregnant. She wasn't about to complain, since she loved her baby, but she wasn't ready for a child yet.
What is wrong with this picture, we and families don't just serve our country we serve as guine pigs, even though this is unethical and illegal.
Dorothy H. Mackey
I'm not a doctor, and I've never been in the military. However, having been on the pill myself, and having researched the pill in my own self-interest, I can say that a lower dosage pill in and of itself does not increase one's chance of getting pregnant. The dosages of pills have steadily decreased in the last 20 years. But then again, women's bodies vary, and that's why there is more than one type of pill.
I suspect that the real reason that women's pills are arbitrarily changed is money. My HMO decided that it would only pay for generic brands of pills, rather than the name brand my doctor prescribed. Perhaps the base is using the same cost-cutting measures. I doubt that other prescriptions are treated so casually, so this is just another sad example of disregard of women's health needs.
DeAnne Blanton
>I'm not a doctor, and I've never been in the military. However,
having
>been on the pill myself, and having researched the pill in my own
>self-interest, I can say that a lower dosage pill in and of itself
does not
>increase one's chance of getting pregnant. The dosages of pills
have
>steadily decreased in the last 20 years. But then again, women's
bodies
>vary, and that's why there is more than one type of pill. DeAnne
Blanton
Good point DeAnne. I started taking the pill on Active Duty back in 84 and have been on them since. Depending on the job and stressors, atleast twice my BCP strength was changed because my cycle would get effected by stress (every 'body' handles stress differently - my body reacted by menstruating steadily for a month.........:-( The change in strength was supposed to bring me back under control - which it DID. I had heard about some women getting pregnant while on the pill - don't know if this is a 'tale' or true but some of the women I'd heard about I wouldn't have been surprised they intentionally 'did something' in order to get pregnant..............(these were mil spouses). Obviously I didn't with the varying pill strengths.
On a similar issue but different, women's mensturation was touched on once a great while ago and grumbled about in the field by women and men alike because of hygienic needs and showering facilities. Men and women alike voiced concern over the increased chance of infection if women couldn't stay "clean". Personally, I carried 'hypo allergenic" baby wipes in my ruck and properly disposed of articles, wrapped up, into the mess garbage - not a good idea to bury - since the situation didn't call for it at the time, we had other means. I've heard it all about that too, burying female articles and attracting wild life. Men weren't real comfortable about this issue and it was an unspoken understanding that the women took care of themselves. Shower facilities were identified. And a good commander (usually female) ensured the supply sgt had articles on hand for those female emergencies - just like we hear about the ole guy condoms. Oh well, we all have our "cross" to bear.
Eloise Prendergast
> From: PrendEC@hqda.army.mil
(Prendergast, Eloise C. (IMCEN))
> >I can say that a lower dosage pill in and of itself does not
> >increase one's chance of getting pregnant. The dosages of pills
have
> >steadily decreased in the last 20 years. But then again, women's
bodies
> >vary, and that's why there is more than one type of pill.
DeAnne Blanton
> I had heard about some women
> getting pregnant while on the pill - don't know if this is a 'tale'
or true
> - but some of the women I'd heard about I wouldn't have been
surprised they
> intentionally 'did something' in order to get
pregnant..............(these
> were mil spouses).
It should be remembered that any birth control device has a failure rate.
Some women *do* take the pill religiously and *still* get pregnant.
This failure rate is usually expressed in the literature for the product in terms of one hundred women using the device for a full year - and how many got pregnant anyway. Whether the risk is higher or lower for a specified product, there is *always* some degree of risk of pregnancy.
Crud... there's even a failure rate for vasectomy!
The only guaranteed way to not get pregnant is to be celibate. Which is an unreasonable thing for the Department of Defense to ask of active duty women... though I'll bet they've thought of it!
Bonnie Hutchens
> It should be remembered that any birth control device has a failure
rate.
>
> Some women *do* take the pill religiously and *still* get
pregnant.
>
> This failure rate is usually expressed in the literature for the
product in
> terms of one hundred women using the device for a full year - and
how
> many got pregnant anyway. Whether the risk is higher or lower for
a
> specified product, there is *always* some degree of risk of
pregnancy.
>
> Crud... there's even a failure rate for vasectomy!
>
> The only guaranteed way to not get pregnant is to be celibate.
There have even been at least two instances of successful pregnancy in women who have had hysterectomies !!
Marian Neudel
Ok, something got lost in translation! I do not disagree with the following standard comments but, this is my experience, not some unknown faced woman.
I went to the Spangdahlem AB, clinic got a refill of birth control pills. I noticed a sticker over the date of expiration, the sticker extended the expiration date past what was stamped on the pill pack. I talked with the male Lt. And asked who had authorized the extension of pills. He said the Surgeon General (1989) this was C Everet Coop. I said I wanted to see the message traffic, he would not produce it. Having had chemistry in college I stated that expired pills break down and can cause a toxic reaction or can increase the pregnancy rate from the standard 99.9%. The Lt simply said, he didn't care. I asked if they were advising women to use other means, he said no. Now, let's say for a moment that this is my body I am putting these pills into. I read the directions, I knew the .1% possibility of pregnancy. Weather married or not, I knew my chances, but I didn't know my chances when given these pills. Nor did I know my chances with the toxic break down of the chemicals in this pill. Much like Russian Rulet.
I went to 5 others bases within 1989, year each one gave out expired pills, a fellow officer who had used this pill for 10 yrs without problem was all of a sudden pregnant. What was bad, was it was not by her choice, her right to dteremine when and if she wanted a child was violated by a system sworn to ensure quality and ethics.
I took this a bit further and went to civilian pharmacies and asked the question what did they do with expired pills? One refused to answer do to liability. The other told me they pull pills 2 to 4 months before expiration because of liability issues and health issues. They were required to do this.
When I asked a pharmacist at McGuire AFB, NJ the same questions. She did her best to convince me they were safe. I asked do you take these pills expired, she didn't answer.
My gut was BS, they aren't safe! What is it in this society that allows us as humans to look the other way when any group is being used as guinea pigs. When I signed up for the military I signed up to support and defend all citizens rights, to include my own. It was not the unknown faces of America I was thinking of but my family, my friends. It just happened to be that the rest of America also benefited. Not once when aggressions broke out did I think, well let somebody else do it. Even if it was not involving my loved ones, I did what was called for. This surprisingly enough had nothing to do with my oath or signing on the dotted line, but it was what was right and part of me as a human being.
Why is it then, that many will allow to be misled by the powers to be, are we ignorant or do we just don't want to believe that our government conspires to use us as experiments. When will it hit home, when it touches your family. By then it will be too late to stop the pain of these unethical acts will be forever part of your life.
Go ahead look the other way, justify whatever makes you feel better but when I talk with an AF Nurse by the name of Joyce who is talking about the Gulf War Syndrome there is startling truth in her words. She explained as the Pentagon denies, 15,000 Gulf Veterans have died, many others and their families affected by a bacteria that is mutating DNA cells for generations, children born with no arms, no legs. Sounds like thelitimide, doesn't it? Joyce states the US sold germ warfare too Sadiam before the war.....what does it take?
Let me remind you America denied the Bikini Island nuclear tests after the war with Japan that exposed thousands of US troops to radiation. Many who have died horrible deaths. The Pentagon has denied Agent Orange and giving troops LSD in the 50's, years later they have finally ackowledged their wrong doing. At what costs of pain and suffering? I hope we are not as naive to believe that our government is perfect.
If America has such a conscious to believe our government would not do things like this then ask yourself, what ever happened to the tons of DDT that was outlawed 10 or so years ago? We as a nation are concerned about humanitarian efforts around the world, we have two faces. Why is it that the toxins we outlawed we now sell to third world nations! Mexico receives some of these toxins which they use on veggies, and we of course import them for our own use.
We are our brothers keepers, it does not take much logic to see the truth, no matter how ugly, how unbelievable it maybe, we all deserve to know the truth, so we or in my case I can decide. But, I do not need to be told any more lies. Nor do I need to be told the variances of birth control pills when I was one of the genuine pigs MY government sought to use them on.
If it was your spouse, sister, girl friend would show as much lack of concern as you do for the women of the military? And if the answer is, yes, you wouldn't care, how do you truly know that what you get is quality, not tainted? How do you really know?
Dorothy H. Mackey
Greetings!
I would be interested in knowing what experiences anyone may have had
with other types of birth control devices at military medical facilities,
such as IUDs.
In the early 70s, the army hospitals used the Dalkon Shield, as well as the Copper 7, IUDs, for both military women and for wives of service members. Very little information was given to women about potential side effects, other than "a little cramping", and very little follow-up was done for the women who received these devices through the hospitals that emplanted them except that the devices would be "good" for ?a certain length of time?, and that the women should come in ?annually? to make sure that the devices were still in place.
As far as birth control pills during that period, I know that birth control pills were freely given to anyone who asked for them, and offered frequently to those who didn't ask for them, as part of the "routine" gynecological exam (sort of a "preventive" strategy, assuming that the military women *would* need the pills, because they were assumed to be sexually active.)
--
Joan I. Biddle, Ph.D.
Sociologist
jbiddle@ix.netcom.com
I was told that a wonderful woman, wife of a pilot whom I worked with had a copper 7 iud in 1984 Air Force, in 88 I was told not only was she sterile due o the devise but had developed cervical cancer. I do not know if she is still alive.
Dorothy H. Mackey
Return to H-MINERVA Home Page.