According to a study soon to be published in General Hospital Psychiatry, depression may increase the risk of suicide in pregnant women and new mothers.
The study, conducted by the University of Michigan Medical School, analyzed data from 2,083 women aged 15 to 54 who committed suicide, as recorded over a five-year period by the U.S. National Violent Death Reporting System.
New mothers who committed suicide were statistically likely to be depressed for two weeks beforehand, according to the analysis.
The study also found that half of the women who killed themselves had a known mental health issue, and close to half were reported as depressed before their suicide.
It has previously been reported that 14 to 23 percent of pregnant and postpartum women experience a depressive disorder, and 10 to 12 percent have an anxiety disorder.
