� Although maternal felo-de-se after giving birth is a comparatively rare occurrence, suicide attempts often have long-lasting 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 psychiatric disorders or substance clapperclaw was a strong forecaster of postpartum 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 world Health Organization had given birth simply had not been hospitalized for a suicide attempt served as a control group.
After adjusting for fetal or infant expiry and early variables, women who had been antecedently 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 multiplication as potential to attack suicide, piece psychiatric hospitalisation and substance abuse in concert increased the risk by 11 times.
Writing in the article, Katherine A. Comtois, PhD, lead detective from the Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center and the University of Washington School of Medicine, states, "In the flow study, we focused on preexisting psychiatric risk factors for postpartum suicide attempts resulting in hospitalization. Most importantly, a prior psychiatrical or substance use diagnosing among postpartum women significantly increased the risk of a serious postpartum felo-de-se attempt. One implication of this study is that screening for past history of psychiatric and substance use diagnoses as part of function prenatal maintenance may be a way of identifying women at high risk of postnatal suicide endeavour, although a recent review of antepartum screening for depression cited insufficient evidence to urge screening as a way to better outcomes."
A recent testimonial from The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists suggested screening for psychosocial risk factors, including economic crisis during antepartum care. This article emphasizes the need for more than careful followup of postpartum women with current or past psychiatrical diagnoses or substance role. The authors continue, "Future studies should evaluate the effectiveness of screening for psychiatric and substance economic consumption disorders on decreasing inauspicious outcomes such as suicide attempts during the postpartum period. If found to be effective, such interventions may prevent the withering impact associated with postpartum suicide endeavour."
"Psychiatric risk factors associated with postpartum suicide endeavor 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 work was supported by a grant from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
Elsevier Health Sciences
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