Suicidality and associated factors in pregnant women in Brazil

Ricardo Azevedo da Silva1, Liliane da Costa Ores, Karen Jansen

  • 1Department of Health and Behavior, Catholic University of Pelotas, 1202 Almirante Barroso Street, Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.

Is important to evaluate suicidal potential and related factors during pregnancy among women who have attended public health services. To determine the suicidal potential, question 10 from Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) was used. In this sample (N = 1,334), 8.1% of pregnant women demonstrated suicidal potential. The potential risk factors for suicide in depressed pregnant women were being single, divorced or widowed, thinking about having an abortion, and having anxiety symptoms; in nondepressed pregnant women were lower age, low education level, low socioeconomic class, thoughts about having an abortion and anxiety symptoms.

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