Maternal deaths from suicide reported to the National Committee On Confidential Enquiries Into Maternal Deaths (NCCEMD) 2017-2019

Abstract

Maternal death as a result of suicide has been under-reported in South Africa for several reasons. The aim of this chapter is to identify all deaths from suicide reported to the NCCEMD during 2017 to 2019 coded in various sections so they can be analysed as a single group. The importance of suicide as a cause of maternal death has been grossly under-estimated. Most suicides occurred in women without any known psychiatric disorder suggesting that the reasons for suicide are multi-factorial. All pregnant women should be screened for mental health conditions as well as psychosocial risk factors at the fi rst ante-natal booking visit.