War and Siege in Tigray

The Tigray conflict caused displacement, food insecurity, destruction of health infrastructure, and disruption of maternal and nutrition services. The Tigray conflict severely compounded existing preconception and pregnancy health risks. The crisis plausibly increased pregnancy risks through several pathways, but the study did not establish causality. The conflict context was associated with higher gender-based violence, sexually transmitted infections, neural tube defects, and maternal mortality. Contraceptive use dropped and household hunger became widespread in Tigray during the conflict context. The study investigated birth defects during the war and siege period using records from hospitals that continued services during the conflict.