• Jillian McKoy

    Senior Writer and Editor

    Jillian McKoy is the senior writer and editor at the School of Public Health. Profile

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There are 18 comments on Professor Receives $960K Grant to Study Reproductive and Child Health Outcomes of Gulf War Veterans

    1. Dear AK Lyons
      This particular study has only been funded to enrolled veterans of the 1990-1991 Gulf war, but I also hope to find funding in the future to expand to veterans who served during other time periods.
      Best regards
      Patricia Janulewicz Lloyd

  1. How do you become a person of interest with regards to this study? Fleet Hospital 6 / CBHU 22 – 1990-91 / Female Navy Seabee. Many health issues as a result of being there. ~lktj

  2. How do I participate in study? I was in the 47th Field Hospital/ Bahrain/ GW 1990-91/ Female. Many health issues including infertility as a result of being there.

  3. Our daughter, a Gulf war veteran’s baby, has complicated health history. First, during pregnancy I lost my daughter’s twin, then my daughter had unusually short cord which wrapped around her neck and strangled her during delivery. She was resuscitated and recovered well.
    As she grew into her middle school years we noticed she was sensitive to certain noises that resulted in anxiety attacks.
    This issue has grown worse and multiple interventions to relieve this with some success. She was prone to joint injuries and ended up had to drop out of gymnastics and cheer d/t repeated ankle injuries.
    In teen years she developed POTS syndrome and multiple symptoms related to Ehlos Danos Syndrome
    Which is root cause of ankle injuries. She has scoliosis, jaw issues, hyper mobility of joints, to name a few. Anxiety & depression is a constant battle for her.
    I was stunned to learn how many children from Guff War veterans have same issues.

  4. I was deployed to the Gulf war not knowing I was pregnant.. my name is SGT. Cindy Smith I was with the 892nd. Transportation Company, Army. I was sent to Dhahran for a month. We were then flown to KKMC Northern Saudi Arabia. I tested positive for pregnancy I was shipped home. My daughter was born 2 months premature and has Cerebral Palsy.. thank God it was mild and only effected her foot and eyes. She has had major surgery on her foot and eye surgeries.. I always wondered if this was caused by Saudi. I have always felt horrible and guilty about her condition.

  5. Gulf War Babies and Parents United Facebook page. Consider the Children of the Gulf War document with 79 testimonies of our children health problems was sent in to the lead researcher. Our problems span not only from 90-91 but across 3 decades. As we know chemical, biological and vaccines used in warfare remain in our bodies, the soil and water in the Middle East battle areas and toxic dumps. We are affected not only from deployment but also from vaccine here in the states and equipment handled by others that did not see warfare. Out stories have been told to GWRAC and we were invited to speak when Secretary Wilkie was present. As we know our children have many of the same conditions as we do but also as the grandchildren of Vietnam Veterans do. Studies need to include a broader timeframe as many 90-91 vets are very I’ll and their children are into their 30’s now. We have young children, teens and young adults who need help now. Please CONSIDER the CHILDREN of the GULF WAR as their parents are now being considered across the entire Gulf War Era over 30 years.

  6. As a desert shield/storm veteran whom still goes untreated for my GWI. I have a 19 year old daughter who does suffer from multiple ailments similar to mine, and has affected, and still affect her daily life. While I have accepted my “Death Sentence” for my service, I would love to see some help for her, and possible treatment so that she can have a better chance than I at a better quality of life.

  7. I am a Gulf War Veteran. Spent time in Nothern Saudi Arabia prior to Air War and during Air War, my unit was one of the first to breach the berm in 1991 and spent most of our time in Southern Iraq and Basra, Iraq. My wife had a miscarriage in late 1991. She was apparently carrying twins as our oldest son was born premature in Jan 1992 and Doctors found not only his embryo sac, but a dried-up embryo sac after delivery. Our son has had cognitive issues his entire life, and now has issues requiring cancelling and medication.

  8. I had three children born since my service in ODS/ODS : three with neutropenia; one ( oldest) a cleft soft pallet. The oldest Neutropenia also lasted the longest.

  9. Are you planning to research the potential birth defects of a region similar to GWI. As far as I know I have no interaction with GW other than being in Norfolk VA naval base. I was born in ’94 near Norfolk, VA. I was born with similar symptoms/defects (goldenhar, gastrointestinal defects, etc) of those of GW vets, almost like a dusting of the symptoms in my chromosome but never enough to rule it confirmed. I was never given an explanation of my health problems or diagnosis only that was a miracle child. Closets things I’ve come to is this. Thanks for your time.

  10. since many of us desert storm vets were excluded from the study I hope it isn’t dead ended because its a real thing. So many of us online connecting to find all our kids have similar health issues!!!

  11. I am a female veteran of Operation Desert Storm who was deployed Saudi Arabia. I gave birth to a daughter (born in 1995), a daughter (born in 1991) and a son (born in 2002); two of the three were born a month early. All three have medical issues. I am interested in learning about the study for them.

  12. There are four published studies that have found associations between certain birth defects and the veterans’ service in the first Gulf War.
    1997 Teratology – Aranetta – tripling of Goldenhar Syndrome in GWV infants born in military hospitals
    • 2001 Ann of Epidemiology – Kang – increased reporting of birth defects significantly associated with military service in the Gulf War
    • 2003 Birth Defects Research – Aranetta – higher prevalence of tricuspid valve insufficiency, aortic valve stenosis and renal agenesis in infants conceived postwar by GWV fathers;
    hypospadias in boys born to GWV mothers
    • 2004 Internat. J. of Epidemiology – Doyle – increased risk of miscarriage, malformations of genital system, urinary system,
    digestive system, musculo-skeletal system and non-chromosome anomalies in children of GWV fathers

    1. Hi Betty,

      Thank you for your comment and for sharing these valuable sources! Our survey questions have been created using the insights gained from these studies and those alike. Additionally, we have included health outcomes and concerns related to Gulf War service as identified by Veterans and their family members.

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