The general commander of United States forces in northern Iraq has added pregnancy to a list of offences that could attract punishments such as a court-martial or time in jail.
The BBC reports that the policy applies to female soldiers and their partners and to husbands and wives serving together in northern Iraq.
The US military says a pregnant soldier needs to be sent home within a fortnight and that will have a negative impact on any unit's effectiveness.
It's the first time the US Army has made pregnancy a punishable offence.
