September is National Suicide Prevention Month. World Suicide Prevention day is next week September 10, 2024. 

Maternal suicide is a leading cause of maternal mortality and accounts for an estimated 20% of maternal deaths during the perinatal period.1 

Suicide and suicidal thoughts can affect anyone regardless of age, race, or background. It’s important to acknowledge the thousands affected by suicide each year – and how we can all take steps to support suicide prevention. 

The negative impact of maternal mental distress and illness on child development is well-documented, as well as the impact of maternal suicidality on child wellness. Additionally, women diagnosed with postpartum depression have an elevated risk for suicide up to 18 years postpartum2, showing the vast impact maternal depression and suicidality can have across a woman’s lifespan. 

The Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health has historically championed maternal suicide tracking, awareness and prevention work.

Join us in learning more and spreading the word through these resources:

  • Our Maternal Suicide in the US issue brief highlights opportunities and recommendations for suicide prevention in maternal healthcare. (An updated brief will be published next week) 
  • Additional resources, facts, and infographics are available on maternal suicide are available here.  
  • Join the Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention for a virtual Congressional Briefing on Maternal Suicide next week on September 10, 2024, to learn about the latest policy and research updates on maternal suicide. This Congressional briefing will feature speakers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and experts in maternal mental health and suicide prevention.   
  • For the month of September, consider using this Zoom/Webinar background for virtual meetings to raise awareness.
Download Virtual Meeting Background
Additional Maternal Suicide Resources from our parters include:

CDC’s Hear Her Campaign

Cherished Mom’s, #IsMomOK maternal suicide awareness campaign

  1. Campbell, J., Matoff-Stepp, S., Velez, M. L., Cox, H. H., & Laughon, K. (2021). Pregnancy-Associated Deaths from Homicide, Suicide, and Drug Overdose: Review of Research and the Intersection with Intimate Partner Violence. Journal of Women’s Health (2002), 30(2), 236–244. https://doi.org/10.1089/jwh.2020.8875 ↩︎
  2. Yu, H., Shen, Q., Bränn, E., Yang, Y., Oberg, A. S., Valdimarsdóttir, U. A., & Lu, D. (2024). Perinatal Depression and Risk of Suicidal Behavior. JAMA Network Open, 7(1), e2350897. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.50897 ↩︎