Suicides during pregnancy and one year postpartum in Sweden, 1980–2007

• BackgroundAlthough the incidence of suicide among women who havegiven birth during the past 12 months is lower than that ofwomen who have not given birth, suicide remains one of themost common causes of death during the year followingdelivery in high-income countries, such as Sweden.AimsTo characterise women who died by suicide duringpregnancy and postpartum from a maternal careperspective.MethodWe traced deaths (n = 103) through linkage of the SwedishCause of Death Register with the Medical Birth and NationalPatient Registers. We analysed register data and obstetricmedical records.ResultsThe maternal suicide ratio was 3.7 per 100 000 live births forthe period 1980–2007, with small magnitude variation overtime. The suicide ratio was higher in women born inlow-income countries (odds ratio 3.1 (95% CI 1.3–7.7)).Violent suicide methods were common, especially during thefirst 6 months postpartum. In all, 77 women had receivedpsychiatric care at some point, but 26 women had nodocumented psychiatric care. Antenatal documentationof psychiatric history was inconsistent. At postpartumdischarge, only 20 women had a plan for psychiatricfollow-up.ConclusionsSuicide prevention calls for increased clinical awareness andcross-disciplinary maternal care approaches to identify and support women at risk.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Reproduktionsmedicin och gynekologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Reproductive Medicine (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Psykiatri (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Psychiatry (hsv//eng)

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