Research Article
Maryam Zangeneh, Firoozeh V
Abstract
Introduction: The present study aimed to investigate the suicide methods and attempted suicide during pregnancy and its maternal and fetal outcomes. Materials and Methods: This is a five-year retrospective study. The statistical population consisted of pregnant women who had attempted suicide and referred to Imam Khomeini Hospital in Kermanshah on 23.08.2007 till 22.08.2012. Data analysis was carried out using SPSS 16 and chi-square test. Results: Among 16,000 cases of the people who have attempted suicide within the five years, 89 people were pregnant women. The most common method of suicide among pregnant women during the study period was drug poisoning (39 cases, 43.3%), self-immolation (23 cases, 25.6%), poisoning by opium (14 cases, 15.6%), organophosphorus poisoning (11 cases, 12.2%), hanging (1 case, 1.1%) and 1 case of poisoning by oil (1.1%), respectively. Most fetal outcomes were observed in self-immolation. Discussion: The results showed that drug poisoning and self-immolation were more common in the first and third trimesters, respectively. Since suicide is one of the causes of maternal mortality and adverse fetal consequences, it needs more attention as a health and social problem.