Maternal suicide still a leading cause of death in first postnatal year

On 13th December 2019, MBRRACE-UK published their latest Confidential Enquiry into Maternal Deaths in the UK and Ireland.

The Saving Lives, Improving Mothers’ Care 2019 report investigates the deaths of women during or up to one year after pregnancy between 2015 and 2017. MBRRACE examines the reasons why each of the women died and what can be done to improve maternity care in the future.

Key statistics on maternal suicide:

1. still the leading cause of direct deaths occurring within a year after the end of pregnancy
2. second largest cause of direct maternal deaths occurring during or within 42 days of the end of pregnancy
3. remains the fifth most common cause of women’s deaths during pregnancy and its immediate aftermath.

In response, MMHA Director Emily Slater said:

"We must remember the individual women and families behind the devastating numbers in this MBRRACE report and seek to honour their memory by urgently addressing gaps in perinatal mental health care. In order to save precious lives, we must ensure every woman has access to essential care and support, when and where she needs it."

More information

Visit our interactive Resource Hub and search ‘MBRRACE’ to find the full report, lay summary and infographic, alongside other key perinatal mental health resources for professionals.