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Maternal Suicide Awareness: Why It Matters, What We Can Do

September is Suicide Prevention Month, and it’s also a time to shine a light on something often kept quiet: maternal suicide. Every mom, caregiver, and family deserves to be seen, heard, and supported. Today, let’s talk plainly about what maternal suicide is, what the data shows in Delaware, what risk looks like, and what we can do together to prevent it.


Reaching out with compassion and support during Suicide Prevention Month in September.
Reaching out with compassion and support during Suicide Prevention Month in September.

What is Maternal Suicide?


When we say maternal suicide, we are referring to someone who takes their own life who is pregnant or within the first year after giving birth. It can be connected to factors like postpartum depression or other mental health challenges. Too often, moms who are struggling feel isolated or afraid to reach out. But maternal suicide is part of the broader issue of pregnancy-associated maternal deaths, and it is tragically common enough that it cannot be ignored.


What the Numbers Tell Us in Delaware


Delaware has some data that helps us understand the situation, though more is needed. Here are things we do know:


  • About 10.4% of women with a recent live birth in Delaware reported experiencing depressive symptoms.

  • In the Maternal & Child Death Review Commission’s reports, 31% of maternal deaths reviewed had a documented mental health issue that may have been a contributing factor.

  • In cases reviewed, 64% of suicide deaths involved situations where mental health treatment was inconsistent or intermittent.

 

These statistics show that maternal mental health struggles and suicide are serious issues that affect families in Delaware.


A sad mother gently cradles her sleeping baby in a sunlit room, surrounded by soft toys.
A sad mother gently cradles her sleeping baby in a sunlit room, surrounded by soft toys.

Why Moms and Families Need to Know


A mother attentively listens during a counseling session while holding her child in a cozy office setting.
A mother attentively listens during a counseling session while holding her child in a cozy office setting.

Maternal suicide and maternal mental health struggles are not rare. The risks are real, especially in the postpartum period. National studies show that women with perinatal depression (during pregnancy or after birth) are at 3 times higher risk of suicidal behavior than women without. That risk is especially elevated in the first year after diagnosis.


Some risk factors include:


  • A prior history of depression, anxiety, or other mental health disorders

  • Feeling isolated, with little social support

  • Struggles with physical recovery after birth

  • Stress from financial hardship, caregiving, or sleep loss

  • Difficulty accessing mental health care or finding someone who understands


What Helps: Prevention, Support, and Hope


Even though the stakes are high, there are things we can do. As moms, caregivers, families, and community members, each of us plays a role.


  1. Screen early and often

    Make sure depression screening happens during pregnancy and in the months after birth. Not just once, but several times, because things can change. In Delaware, one of the recommendations from reviews has been universal depression screening at birth and in postpartum follow-ups.


  2. Talk about mental health

    When we normalize that birth and postpartum time can be overwhelming mentally as well as physically, we reduce stigma. Encourage moms to share how they’re feeling, including thoughts that worry them.


  3. Build strong support networks

    This can be formal, such as therapists, support groups, and postpartum doulas, or informal, like trusted friends, family, or faith communities.


  4. Ensure access to mental health care

    Affordable, culturally competent, trauma-informed care should be available. Transportation, child care, and flexible scheduling all matter.


  5. Watch for warning signs

    Changes in mood, persistent sadness, withdrawal, or increased irritability are important to notice. Expressions of hopelessness or thoughts of self should always be taken seriously.


  6. Safety planning

    With help from professionals, make a plan for what to do if things feel overwhelming. This can include knowing who to call, what coping steps to take, and how to reduce access to means of self-harm.


For Moms and Caregivers


  • If you are pregnant or have given birth in the past year and feel overwhelmed or like you can't go on, please reach out. Talk with your OB or midwife, your primary care provider, or a counselor.

  • Use hotlines and crisis lines. You are not alone.

  • Don’t wait until things get severe. Early help saves lives.

  • Ask for help with everyday tasks, such as sleep, meals, and childcare, to reduce pressure.



Local Resources in Delaware


Here are some real places in Delaware and national hotlines that can help:





Moving Forward Together


A joyful family moment as a couple lovingly lifts their baby.
A joyful family moment as a couple lovingly lifts their baby.

Maternal suicide is heartbreaking and preventable. Every mother deserves care, compassion, and the chance to heal. For families, your love, your listening, and your support can be lifelines. For moms, it’s okay to say you’re not okay, and it’s brave to ask for help.


This September, during Suicide Prevention Month, we can commit to change. When moms are supported, babies thrive. Families heal. Communities grow stronger.


Mother, Baby, & Beyond is here to support moms, caregivers and families in Delaware. If you or someone you know needs a referral for maternal mental health care, use the button below to request a referral.






 
 
 

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