Women are the fastest growing group in the veteran population, and the VA's rating schedule has always contained a set of diagnostic codes that most claims guides skip entirely. This series covers those codes and the regulations around them.
The basic framework does not change. As our guide to how VA service connection works explains, every claim still needs a current diagnosis, an in-service event or exposure, and a medical link between the two.
Where the rules live
38 CFR 4.116 is the schedule of ratings for gynecological conditions and disorders of the breast. It covers the uterus, ovaries, fallopian tubes, cervix, vagina, vulva, and surgical removal of breast tissue.
38 CFR 3.304 contains the evidentiary rule for claims based on in-service personal assault, which is how military sexual trauma claims are developed. 38 CFR 3.350 covers special monthly compensation, including anatomical loss.
Military sexual trauma
Military sexual trauma is an experience, not a diagnosis. The conditions claimed from it - most often PTSD, depression, or anxiety - are rated under 38 CFR 4.130. What makes these claims distinct is the evidence rule that allows sources other than the service record to corroborate the event. Our guide to military sexual trauma claims walks through it.
Toxic exposure applies equally
The PACT Act presumptive conditions include several cancers, and breast cancer claims connected to service are covered in our guide to breast cancer and VA claims. Gulf War service is addressed separately under 38 CFR 3.317, covered in our Gulf War illness guide.
The rest of this series
Each part has its own guide:
Where veterans start
Every case is different, and there is no obligation at any step. When veterans want to understand what their records actually support, these are the two most common starting points:
- Medical records review
A licensed physician reviews your records for a $250 flat fee and identifies which conditions the available evidence may support. The fee is refunded in full if nothing supportable is identified.
- Nexus letter
When the records support one, a licensed provider writes the medical opinion that addresses the link between your condition and your service.
Filing as a woman veteran
The claims process itself does not branch by gender. Every claim, regardless of the veteran filing it, moves through the same intake, evidence-gathering, and rating steps described on the VA's evidence needed page. What differs for women veterans is which diagnostic codes and evidentiary rules tend to apply, because certain conditions and certain kinds of in-service events are more common among women.
That distinction matters practically. A veteran who understands that endometriosis is rated under its own code in 38 CFR 4.116, or that a personal assault claim can be corroborated without a service record of the event under 38 CFR 3.304(f)(5), is better positioned to know what evidence to gather before filing rather than after a denial.
Physicians, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners in the record
Treatment records that support a claim often come from more than one type of provider. Physicians, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners can all document diagnoses, treatment history, and functional limitations, and the VA's evidence guidance does not distinguish between them by license type when weighing the medical evidence submitted with a claim.
For gynecological and reproductive conditions in particular, continuity of care across visits with physicians, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners can matter, because several diagnostic codes in 38 CFR 4.116 turn on whether symptoms require continuous treatment and whether that treatment controls them.
Why source citation matters here
Because these topics involve sensitive medical history, general claims forums and secondhand summaries are a poor substitute for the actual text of the regulations. This series links directly to the sections of 38 CFR and the VA.gov pages it describes, so a veteran or their representative can read the underlying rule rather than a paraphrase of it.
That approach also makes it easier to identify what a guide does not cover. If a topic is not addressed in 38 CFR 4.116, 3.304, 3.310, or the other regulations cited throughout this series, it is outside the scope of what these articles can responsibly summarize.
This guide is educational. It summarizes the VA's own published rules and links to the exact sources it relies on. It is not legal or claims advice, and it is not a substitute for an accredited representative, who can advise you about your specific claim. Accredited help is free - search the VA's accreditation database to find a Veterans Service Organization, accredited agent, or attorney.
Frequently asked questions
Are VA disability claims different for women veterans?
The basic framework is the same for everyone: a current disability, an in-service event, and a medical link between them under 38 CFR 3.303. What differs is that several diagnostic codes and one evidentiary rule apply specifically to conditions more common among women veterans, including gynecological conditions under 38 CFR 4.116 and personal assault claims under 38 CFR 3.304(f)(5).
Does the VA rate gynecological conditions?
Yes. 38 CFR 4.116 contains a full schedule of ratings for gynecological conditions and disorders of the breast, including the uterus, ovaries, cervix, vulva, vagina, and breast surgery.
Can a condition that started during pregnancy be service connected?
It depends on the evidence. Under 38 CFR 3.303, a chronic disability that began or worsened during a period of active service can be service connected when the record supports it, and 38 CFR 3.310 covers conditions caused or aggravated by an already service-connected disability.
Sources
- VA: Health care for women veterans
- 38 CFR 4.116 - Schedule of ratings, gynecological conditions and disorders of the breast (eCFR)
- 38 CFR 3.303 - Principles relating to service connection (eCFR)
- 38 CFR 3.304 - Direct service connection, including PTSD from personal assault (eCFR)
- VA: Evidence needed for your disability claim