Homicide is a leading cause of maternal death

In a recent research letter, Maeve Wallace and colleagues linked Louisiana death records to birth records occurring within one year of the date of death to determine leading causes of maternal mortality in the state. They also included any death record indicating the woman was pregnant. Between 2016 and 2017, there were 119 pregnancy-associated deaths in Louisiana, of which 13.4% (N=16) were homicides. This translates to a homicide mortality rate of 12.9 per 100,000 live births, and exceeds the mortality rate for any other obstetric causes (e.g., hypertensive disorders, obstetric embolism). Homicide mortality rates were elevated among pregnant or postpartum women and girls relative to those who were not, and particularly elevated among pregnant or postpartum young women and girls 10-29 years. These startling findings warrant duplication in other jurisdictions and signal the need for immediate action to reduce risk of victimization of pregnant women and girls and those in the postpartum period, all of whom typically are engaged at numerous points with health care providers.

Wallace ME et al. 2020. Homicide during pregnancy and the postpartum period in Louisiana, 2016-2017. JAMA Pediatrics, doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2019.5853.

Available at: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/article-abstract/2760408