European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 5, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                This delivery room at the Frankfurt army regional medical Center in Germany is one that Felt the Boom after the persian Gulf War. Finite amount of physicians a said or. Maj James Giem of the Raf Lakenheath England Hospital referring to the other services provided at obstetrics and gynaecology clinics. There Are six air Force hospitals in Europe located at Torrejon a Spain Raf upper Heyford and Raf Lakenheath in England Pitburg a and Wiesbaden in Germany and in Ciurlik a Turkey. Of those hospitals three Are located at bases slated for draw Down. The Pitburg Hospital which is undergoing renovations has shut Down All but its maternity wards. Delivery rates remain fairly consistent in Europe but doctors agree there seems to be a baby Boom in the military because of the High numbers of women who became pregnant shortly after Many of the troops redeployed from operation desert storm. A was soon As the men came Home it started a said maj. Jean Burnett a mid wife at the Lakenheath Hospital. She a in charge of the obstetrics orientation class the Hospital offers to women who be just Learned they Are to become mothers and classes in june and july were crowded Burnett said. Laken heaths deployed airmen began their homecomings in March. Two hospitals that Are seeing a surge in newborns Are at upper Heyford and in Ciurlik. The Lakenheath Hospital did experience a bit of a bumper baby month in february. Also upper Heyford doctors report that requests for reversals of tubal ligation is on the Rise. Tubal ligation is a surgical procedure in which a woman a fallopian tubes Are tied to prevent pregnancy but the sterilization procedure can be released. Since late fall they have been performing at least one such reversal a week said or. Capt Richard Goddard. Previously they received Only one such request a month. A a we re at the Point where we can to help those women because we re All booked up a said Goddard. The fact that More and More military folks Are transferring from Europe May not be the Only Factor keeping delivery numbers Down at the other hospitals. A i think the draw Down is keeping lots of people nervous. Plus we be had a lot of people go Down to operation provide Comfort a said or. Capt Mike Gordon at Pitburg. He was referring to the kurdish Relief Effort based in Turkey that began soon after the Gulf War ended and will continue through june 30. With military careers Uncertain couples May also hesitate to have a baby he said. A i think we re seeing a lot of people posing making permanent change of station moves who would have delivered Here a said Giem at Lakenheath. While in Ciurlik and upper Heyford report More deliveries Wiesbaden and bit urge a delivery rates have dropped apparently because of draw Downs in the air Force and army populations using those hospitals. Then there Are army hospitals a such As at Frankfurt Lan Stuhl and Heidelberg in Germany a which Monitor the birth rate but done to keep tabs on whether a Parent served in the Gulf War according to 7th medical come spokesman Bill Swisher. Lakenheath has seen an increase in its deliveries but doctors and mid wives there Stop Short of calling it a baby Boom. For instance 63 and 65 babies were bom during january and february 1991, respectively while 72 and 79 babies were born during january and february 1992, respectively. Giem started tracking in september the number of expected babies to be bom in january at his Hospital because of High positive pregnancy tests. The Lakenheath Hospital delivers pregnant mothers from not Only Lakenheath but also bases at Mildenhall Chick Sands Alconbury Ben Waters and Woodbridge. With the exception of Chicksands All the bases had major deployments during the War with most of the airmen starting to return in March. His statistics showed that about 90 newborns could be expected to fill  a 22-Bassinctte Nursery in january a significant increase from their average monthly deliveries of 60 babies. Expecting such a Bevy of babies in january Lakenheath a Hospital drafted a contingency plan that called for allowing Only one doctor to go on leave during the month say doctors and nurses there. But Only 72 babies were born at Lakenheath during january which Giem attributes to a Mission change underway at Lakenheath and events at the other bases using the Hospital. During february the Hospital chalked up its highest delivery rate since january 1991, with 79 babies being born. Lakenheath is switching from f-111f fighter bombers to the f-15e strike Eagle fighter. Ben Waters and Woodbridge Are drawing Down while Ai co Bury previously the Home of a-10 Thunderbolt ii anti tank aircraft is becoming Host to the 39th special operations wings Headquarters. In Ciurlik from where military dependents were evacuated Between january and april 1991 because of the Gulf War had a dramatic drop in its deliveries last year. Only 82 babies were born there during the entire year. Now the hospitals delivery Rale surpasses its pre War average of 13-14 births per month. Or. Maj Glenn Gianini attributes that to the return of dependents after april and the doubling of the obstetrics and gynaecology staff to two doctors. Twenty births were expected in february but Gianini reports eight to 10 women a week have been receiving positive pregnancy test results. At upper Heyford More than 93 babies have been born since dec. 1, and Goddard expects another 45 to 50 newborns through april. April 5, 1992 sunday a Page 7