Pregnant and on the Front Lines: The Resilience of Ukraine’s Military Mothers

Olena, a combat medic stationed in a trench on the eastern front, felt the alert from her ovulation app on her phone.

"It hit me that I truly needed to be home starting a family, not sitting here in this trench," Olena recalled. However, leaving the front was not immediately possible, and her determination to both serve and begin a family remained equally strong.

After approximately six months of balancing military duties with fertility treatments during limited leave, Olena finally became pregnant. Despite this, she chose to continue her service on the front lines.

While some may view fighting a war while expecting as reckless, Olena sees it differently. "War is war, but life must go on," she explained.

As the conflict with Russia endures, Ukraine’s armed forces face challenges recruiting young men, but female volunteers have become an inspiring force. Since the invasion began in 2022, the number of women serving has increased by over 20 percent, reaching nearly 70,000.

Pregnant soldiers often endure harsh conditions—constant shelling, freezing temperatures without heating, and a lack of running water or adequate sanitation facilities.