Pregnancy loss and suicidal behavior: Investigating the mediating role of depressive mood

Pregnancy loss is arguably a traumatic and stressful life event that potentially impacts the emotional and behavioral health of those who experience it, especially adolescents. Research assessing this relationship has primarily focused on adult women populations.

Using data from National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, a cross-sectional research design was employed to investigate whether pregnancy loss outcomes are associated with depressive mood and suicidal behavior (i.e., suicidal thoughts and suicide attempt) among adolescent girls (N = 6, 913). We also investigated the mediating effect of depressive mood. Initially, an all-encompassing pregnancy loss variable was used, which included abortions and miscarriages. Acknowledging the differences between these pregnancy loss outcomes, we created separate measures for each.

Using the all-encompassing pregnancy loss variable, findings from logistic regression analyses showed that pregnancy loss is positively and significantly associated with depressive mood and suicidal behaviors. Depressive mood mediated the relationship between pregnancy loss and suicidal behaviors. Miscarriage was positively and significantly associated with suicidal thoughts as well as attempting suicide. Depressive mood mediated the relationship between miscarriage and suicidal thoughts, while only partially mediating the relationship between miscarriage and suicide attempt. No significant effects were observed for abortion on outcomes of interest.

Cross-sectional analyses were performed limiting our ability to make casual inferences.

Pregnancy loss is associated with depressive mood and suicidal behavior, especially among adolescent girls who experience a miscarriage. Adolescent pregnancy and pregnancy loss should remain a focus of scholars and health professionals.