� Although maternal suicide after giving birth is a comparatively rare occurrence, suicide attempts often give birth long-lasting personal effects on the family and the infant. In a study published in the August 2008 issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, researchers compared iI populations of mothers and found that a history of psychiatrical disorders or substance shout was a strong soothsayer of postnatal suicide attempts.
Using the hospitalization and birth records from Washington State, USA, from 1992 to 2001, the researchers found that 335 women had been hospitalized for suicide attempts. Another 1420 women wHO had granted birth merely had not been hospitalized for a suicide attack served as a ascendence group.
After adjusting for fetal or infant death and other variables, women who had been previously hospitalized for psychiatric disorders were more than than 27 times as likely to attempt felo-de-se as women without this medical history. Women with a history of meaning abuse were six times as likely to attack suicide, while psychiatric hospitalization insurance and substance abuse unitedly increased the risk by 11 times.
Writing in the article, Katherine A. Comtois, PhD, lead investigator from the Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center and the University of Washington School of Medicine, states, "In the current study, we focused on preexisting psychiatrical risk factors for postpartum suicide attempts resulting in hospitalization. Most importantly, a prior psychiatrical or substance use diagnosis among postnatal women significantly increased the risk of a serious postpartum felo-de-se attempt. One implication of this written report is that screening for past history of psychiatric and substance use diagnoses as theatrical role of routine prenatal care may be a means of identifying women at high peril of postnatal suicide endeavour, although a recent revaluation of antepartum screening for depression cited insufficient grounds to recommend screening as a way to better outcomes."
A recent passport from The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists suggested viewing for psychosocial risk factors, including depression during prenatal care. This article emphasizes the demand for more careful followup of postpartum women with current or past psychiatrical diagnoses or substance manipulation. The authors continue, "Future studies should evaluate the effectiveness of screening for psychiatric and substance use disorders on decreasing contrary outcomes such as self-annihilation attempts during the postpartum period. If found to be in effect, such interventions may preclude the withering impact associated with postnatal suicide attempt."
"Psychiatric risk factors associated with postnatal suicide attempt in Washington State, 1992-2001"
Katherine A. Comtois, PhD; Melissa A. Schiff, MD, MPH; and David C. Grossman, MD, MPH.
American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Volume 199, Issue 2 (August 2008).
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This field of study was supported by a grant from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
Elsevier Health Sciences
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