What resources can women veterans use to navigate health care services?

RallyPoint News — Thu, 23 May 2019 16:45:51 -0400

Women Veterans deserve and expect high-quality health care to address their needs, and in some cases their needs include deciding when motherhood is right for them. Whether women Veterans are looking to start a family or to prevent pregnancy, VA can help. 

Many women Veterans have complex medical needs that need attention during pregnancy. Maternity care coordinators understand these needs and help women Veterans navigate health care services inside and outside of VA throughout pregnancy to ensure timely and continuous care.  

Additional services covered under the maternity care benefit include: newborn care for up to seven days, lactation services and products (consultation services, breast pumps and supplies), nursing bras, postpartum screenings, and support groups. Maternity care coordinators are available at every VA medical center. 

The number of women Veterans seeking pregnancy care is likely to rise. VA encourages women Veterans to speak with their provider or contact the Women Veterans Call Center to find their nearest Maternity Care Coordinator. The Women Veterans Call Center is available Monday through Friday 8 a.m. – 10 p.m. ET and Saturdays from 8 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. ET by calling [login to see] or

Response by CW3 Matt Hutchason made May 23 at 2019 4:54 PM

CW3 Matt Hutchason — Thu, 23 May 2019 16:54:03 -0400

I’m glad you shared this. Thinking about it, I don’t think I’ve ever heard a word about women specific VA services. This is a great share.

Response by CPT David Gowel made May 23 at 2019 5:33 PM

CPT David Gowel — Thu, 23 May 2019 17:33:35 -0400

There's also this recently expanded VA / DOD pilot around women's health with leadership from Maj Alea Nadeem . https://reservenationalguard.com/reserve-guard-health/program-aims-to-ease-military-transition-for-female-veterans/

Program aims to ease military transition for female veterans | Reserve & National Guard

The VA Women’s Health Transition Training Pilot is a partnership between the Departments of Defense and Veteran Affairs focusing on female veterans.

Response by Maj Kim Patterson made May 23 at 2019 7:08 PM

Maj Kim Patterson — Thu, 23 May 2019 19:08:59 -0400

Let's take a look at history. I am expecting baby #2. Baby 1 was not expected to live out the first year. I had previously miscarried. Baby 2. I was flown to TX on a military aircraft but left to find my own way back home. Pregnant. With my single suitcase. I found a civilian airline to fly home. Labor began in the air, I was less than halfway through my pregnancy, the pilot decides that best course of action would be to land at a different state, my contractions are less than 5 minutes apart the plane is headed for Phx. "Land in ABQ" my opinion: keep flying, there is a doctor in AZ who knows my history and the resources, we continued to PHX. I met with the high risk dr, and the only option was bed rest, no activity, but the commander insisted I continue to work from home on his pet projects. My "evaluation" reflects his opinion of where I belong. I report to the base and state the baby is coming. They turn me away, I drive to a civilian hospital where Baby 2 is born shortly after. Since I wasn't preapproved, I was docked leave, I was also commanded to return to service within 4 weeks. With 2 children under the age of 2, both barely surviving. By this time, the first women to graduate from the USAF academy have arrived on base and also are in need of maternity care. This issue should have been addressed decades ago. There have been women serving since day 1. How do we end up pregnant? Sometimes, we have been raped. Multiple times, sometimes we believe we have found love and want to start a family., other times, it's incest. It's not always pretty.

Fast forward to this week. There is an entire wing dedicated to Women's Health Care,

Remember how you felt when you came home and people only showed derision? That's was what it felt like to be a pregnant woman on Active Duty, serving her country proudly and far exceeding expectations.

So I pose this question to the men. You have a child and another on the way, choose. The baby or the career, there is no wiggle room. It's a yes/no decision.

Response by Stephanie Zwan made May 29 at 2019 10:26 PM

Stephanie Zwan — Wed, 29 May 2019 22:26:00 -0400

Check for abdominal hernias and torn abdominal muscles from flak vests being made for a mans body, not a woman’s body, and as such, causes severe problems to the woman’s body cause severe pain, the woman on active duty is ignored with military doctors, who think its “just” female menstrual cycle issues and ignore the female service members.

Get Congress and DoD to make sure to make military uniforms and other accessories/attachments to the the uniform, including the flak vests, so that women are not harmed worse through their military service.

Response by Virginia Teddy made May 29 at 2019 11:51 PM

Virginia Teddy — Wed, 29 May 2019 23:51:30 -0400

RE: What services should DOD/VA provide for women SM/veterans?
Considering MST victims and and all other SM/veterans affected (women/transgender men) we need to allow and fund abortions at military and VA facilities.

Response by SrA Cortney Bowman made May 30 at 2019 12:45 AM

SrA Cortney Bowman — Thu, 30 May 2019 00:45:06 -0400

Is the VA now offering in vitro fertilization for veterans? Please say yes. !!

Response by SP5 Ye Gp made May 30 at 2019 7:39 AM

SP5 Ye Gp — Thu, 30 May 2019 07:39:05 -0400

Response by COL Joan Sullivan made May 30 at 2019 1:20 PM

COL Joan Sullivan — Thu, 30 May 2019 13:20:31 -0400

Allow women veterans to have mammograms locally. I have an outstanding VAOPC 3 miles from me but it does not have mammograms services there. Since I have a VA facility within 40 miles of my house, and despite the fact that it does not offer a service I need, the VA wants me to go to Gainesville (About 75 minutes one way drive) to get a 90 second procedure. Does not make sense. Thanks.

Response by PO3 Teresa Lamelin made May 30 at 2019 1:31 PM

PO3 Teresa Lamelin — Thu, 30 May 2019 13:31:21 -0400

No question, Just wanted to say Thank You, for this opportunity to be part of this website.