Maternal deaths by suicide in Queensland, Australia, 2004-2017: an analysis of maternal demographic, psychosocial and clinical characteristics.
Arch Womens Ment Health
; 24(6): 1019-1025, 2021 12.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-34159468
ABSTRACT
To characterise the demographic and clinical characteristics of women who died by suicide in the perinatal period to inform and improve suicide prevention strategies. Retrospective analysis of maternal suicides during and within 1 year after the end of pregnancy in Queensland between January 2004 and December 2017. Outcomes measured included timing of death in relation to pregnancy, sociodemographic and clinical characteristics and health service use prior to death. There were 65 deaths by suicide in the study period; six occurred during pregnancy, 30 occurred after a live birth, 22 occurred after a termination of pregnancy and seven followed a miscarriage or stillbirth. Most suicides were late maternal deaths. Women were younger, and more likely to identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, when compared to all women giving birth for the same time period. Most women had a prior mental health diagnosis, most commonly depression. Over half of women had recent relationship separation or conflict prior to death. Perinatal women had higher rates of death by violent means than all women in Queensland who died by suicide during the same time period. The demographic, psychosocial and clinical characteristics of a group of women who died by suicide have been described, and this shows a high proportion of women with a prior mental health diagnosis. To reduce maternal mortality, psychosocial screening must be implemented broadly and continued until the end of the first year postpartum. Similar screening attention is needed for women who had a termination of pregnancy, miscarriage or stillbirth.
Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Suicídio
/
Morte Materna
Tipo de estudo:
Observational_studies
/
Prognostic_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Limite:
Female
/
Humans
/
Pregnancy
País/Região como assunto:
Oceania
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Arch Womens Ment Health
Assunto da revista:
PSICOLOGIA
/
SAUDE DA MULHER
Ano de publicação:
2021
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Austrália