Skip to main content

Perinatal Suicide Tied to Intimate Partner Problems, Depression, Substance Use

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on July 3, 2024.

By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, July 3, 2024 -- Perinatal suicide is often associated with intimate partner problems (IPPs) and behavioral health issues, according to a study published online June 27 in JAMA Network Open.

Kara Zivin, Ph.D., from Michigan Medicine in Ann Arbor, and colleagues used data from the National Violent Death Reporting System (2003 through 2021) to determine what circumstances are associated with perinatal suicide. The analysis included 1,150 perinatal decedents (aged 10 to 50 years) who were pregnant or postpartum at death and 17,655 female, nonperinatal decedents.

The researchers found that compared with matched nonperinatal decedents, perinatal decedents had higher odds of IPPs (odds ratio [OR], 1.45), a recent argument (OR, 1.33), depressed mood (OR, 1.39), substance abuse or other abuse (OR, 1.21), physical health problems (OR, 1.37), and death of a family member or friend (OR, 1.47) as contributing circumstances. A qualitative analysis emphasized the importance of mental health and identified that 12.4 percent of decedents had postpartum depression.

"This study provides insights into complex factors surrounding maternal suicide, and it highlights opportunities for further research to understand long-term consequences of perinatal mental health," the authors write. "These findings also underscore the need for targeted evidence-based interventions and effective policies targeting mental health, substance use, and IPPs to prevent maternal suicide and enhance maternal health outcomes."

Abstract/Full Text

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Read this next

Recent Years Saw Increase in Youth With Anxiety, Depression

MONDAY, April 28, 2025 -- From 2016 to 2022, there was an increase in the proportion of youth who experienced anxiety or depression, according to a research letter published...

USPSTF Recommends Counseling to Prevent Perinatal Depression

FRIDAY, April 25, 2025 -- The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends counseling for women at increased risk for perinatal depression (PND). This recommendation...

Medical Debt Tied to Higher Likelihood of Forgone Mental Health Care

FRIDAY, April 25, 2025 -- More than one in seven adults reported carrying medical debt in 2023, and of these, one in three forwent mental health care in the subsequent year...

More news resources

Subscribe to our newsletter

Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.