Psychiatric Risk Factors Associated With Postpartum Suicide Attempt in Washington State, 1992-2001

A population-based case-control study was conducted using Washington State birth certificates linked to hospital discharge data to evaluate the association between hospitalization with a psychiatric diagnosis, substance use diagnosis, or dual diagnosis in the 5 years before delivery with risk of postpartum suicide attempt. 355 cases hospitalized postpartum for a suicide attempt were compared with 1420 controls using multivariable logistic regression. Women with a psychiatric disorder were at a 27.4-fold increased risk, & those with a substance use disorder were at a 6.2-fold increased risk, & those with a dual diagnosis were at an 11.1-fold increased risk of postpartum suicide attempt compared with controls. (15 refs)