Neonatology Fellow Walter Reed National Military Medical Center Bethesda, Maryland, United States
Background: Female aviators and aircrew are exposed to loud noise, whole-body vibrations, toxic chemicals, sleep-wake cycle disturbances, intermittent hypoxia, high gravitational forces, high altitude, and various forms of electromagnetic radiation. Objective: To investigate whether a maternal military aviation career was associated with adverse pediatric health outcomes. Design/Methods: This study has been approved by the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences Institutional Review Board. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of children born to female US Military officers from October 2002 to December 2019. Exposure was defined as the mother serving in an aviation or aircrew occupation at time of birth. Adverse health outcomes were identified by International Classification of Diseases codes. Cox proportional hazards regression will be performed, adjusting for maternal age at delivery, maternal race and ethnicity, and marital status. A post hoc power analysis will be performed. Data collection and analysis will be complete in November 2023.
