Study Investigates Factors Leading to Perinatal Suicide in the United States

A new study led by Kara Zivin, professor in the Medical School and School of Public Health at the University of Michigan, has analyzed the underlying circumstances that lead to perinatal suicide, a leading cause of death for women during pregnancy and the weeks following delivery.

Dr. Zivin and her co-authors sought out to investigate why there is a high rate of perinatal suicide in the United States compared to other developed countries. The authors examined data from over 1,100 women who died from suicide or undetermined causes during pregnancy or the 12 months following delivery, compared to a larger sample of women who were not pregnant within the preceding year. Among the women who died from perinatal suicide, the authors discovered a higher frequency of mental health conditions, substance abuse, and intimate partner violence.

Considering many of these deaths are preventable, the authors believe their findings suggest an urgent need to improve mental health screenings among pregnant women and implement policies that target substance abuse and domestic violence interventions. They also call for future research to investigate the efficacy of current suicide risk assessments and available mental health resources for pregnant women.

Dr. Zivin currently serves as the Marcia A. Valenstein, M.D. Collegiate Professor of Psychiatry in the University of Michigan Medical School and professor of health management and policy in the School of Public Health. She holds a bachelor’s degree in international relations and a master’s degree in international economics and conflict management from Johns Hopkins University. She received a second master’s degree and a Ph.D. in health policy from Harvard University.