The Gulf War is an ongoing war between many Middle Eastern countries. Gulf War birth defects are the health problems of babies born to Gulf War veterans’ wives, especially those who served during Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Gulf War births include a higher number of miscarriages, stillbirths, and birth defects like cleft lip or palate.

The first Gulf War was in 1990-1991; however, Gulf Wars continue today with no end in sight. This article will discuss 3 important facts about Gulf Wars that you should know!

One: Why do Gulf Wars happen?

To answer this question we must look at the history behind these wars. They started when Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait on August 2nd 1990 which led to US-led coalition forces being sent to Saudi Arabia in Operation Desert Shield.

Operations ensued and eventually Gulf War One ended on February 28th, 1991 with a decisive victory for the allies. Gulf Wars continue today, including Gulf War Two which began when Iraq invaded Kuwait again in August of 2002. This Gulf war included US-UK led invasion into Iraq from March 20 through May 2003.

Two: Birth Defects

During Gulf War births there is an increased number of miscarriages, stillbirths, and birth defects like cleft lip or palate according to studies done by the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH).

The study found that during Gulf wars veterans’ wives were at double the risk for having babies born with these issues. Gulf War veterans are also at a higher risk for birth defects. Birth defect risks could be attributed to the many chemicals used in desert war zones, including pesticides and petroleum oils that were used by both sides in Gulf Wars One and Two.

Three: Causes of Gulf War Babies’ Defects

Possible causes include chemical exposure during Gulf wars like leaded gasoline, air pollution from burning oil fields, herbicides (Agent Orange), depleted uranium munitions use causing increased radioactivity which can cause genetic mutations when present with other factors such as smoking or alcohol abuse.

Other possible causes may be due to stress experienced during war time or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) caused by battle experiences leading to decreased fertility rates among Gulf Warriors compared to Gulf War veterans.

All of these causes are still under investigation at the moment and additional information is needed to really know what factors lead to Gulf war babies’ Gulf War birth defects.

This article was written for informational purposes only, not meant as medical advice or diagnosis. Always consult with your doctor before trying out any new treatment options because every patient’s body chemistry may be different.

For example, pregnant women should always avoid exposure to radiation (x-rays) like uranium isotopes even though it’s considered low level compared to nuclear power plant accidents which can cause much more severe damage due to very high levels of radiation exposure during the accident period; this means that no type of x-ray or another source of ionizing radiation is completely safe for a baby in the womb.

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