Post‐war changes in the outcome of pregnancy in maternity hospital, Kuwait

Abstract

To analyse the pre‐ and post‐Gulf War changes in the outcome of pregnancy and to explore the possible causes that could have affected these changes, a retrospective analysis of medical records of patients delivering in Maternity Hospital Kuwait (MHK) was carried out for the period 1987–89 (pre‐Gulf‐War) and 1992 (post‐Gulf War). The records of 1991 were used when adequate information was available. The normal z test was used to assess the significance between two proportions. There is a significant rise in abortion, low birth weight babies, triplet pregnancies, and major congenital anomalies in the post‐war period. The still‐birth rate, early neonatal mortality rate and perinatal mortality rate significantly increased in the immediate post‐war period in 1991, but decreased to levels below the pre‐war period in 1992. It should be investigated whether these changes are secondary to the changes in the population structure; the effects of war in terms of deterioration of health care services; environmental pollution caused by oil well fires, oil spills; or the psychological trauma, anxiety and stress caused by the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait.

Key Words:

• Gulf War
• Kuwait
• Complications of pregnancy