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Attention has increasingly focused on maternal death in the U.S., one of a handful of countries with rising maternal mortality. While many safety campaigns have focused on the most common causes of death in women during and after pregnancy, less emphasis has been placed on “hidden” causes of maternal death such as suicide and homicide. To examine correlates of positive screens for suicidal thought, researchers analyzed data from a single suburban health system that routinely administers questionnaire-based depression screens during pregnancy and postpartum.
Suicidal ideation was reported in 4% of >22,000 questionnaires. Younger, unmarried, nonwhite women and non-English speakers were more likely to report thoughts of self-harm, as were those…