Maternal suicide Now โขLeading cause of Death forโค Young Mothers in France, Report โReveals
Paris, France – Suicide is nowโ the primary cause of maternal mortality in France, surpassing deaths relatedโค to childbirth itself, according to a recent report by Public Health france and the National College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (CNGOF). The alarming trend underscores critical gaps in perinatal mental healthcare and โsocial support for new mothers.
The report, released following โคan inquiry by the French National Perinatal Mortalityโ Committee (ECMM), highlights a surge in maternal suicidesโ in recent years, with a particularly concerning rise among women within the firstโค year postpartum. โขWhile specific national statistics remain closely guarded, the ECMM report emphasizes the preventable natureโค of these โฃtragedies โขand calls for urgent โขsystemic change. this crisis arrives despite recommendations from the High Authority for Health (HAS) as 2021 for early โคpostnatal โฃinterviews – between the 4th and 8th week after โฃchildbirthโค -โข to identify postpartum depression and suicidal risks.
“Each maternal death is a drama. Butโ when you know that a good part could be avoided, it becomes โa collective obligation,” Public Health France concludes inโฃ its report.
The โขECMM report identifies several key areas for betterment:
* Enhanced Training: โ Reinforced training for midwives, general practitioners, gynecologists, and pediatricians in recognizing and responding to perinatal mental health issues.Too often, alert signals go unnoticed.
* Prolonged Follow-Up: Extended follow-up care for vulnerable women, extending well beyond the mandatory six-weekโข postnatal consultation, with systematized appointments โat โ3, 6, and 9 months.
* โฃ Increased Social โSupport: โ Greater social โsupport for isolated mothers โฃorโ thoseโ in precarious situations, including home visits, PMI โsupport,โ and easier access to specializedโ psychologists and psychiatrists.
Currently, while some local initiatives โare addressing theseโ needs, they remain fragmented. The ECMM reportโข advocates for a extensive national โstrategy integrating mental health, perinatality, and social โsupport to prevent maternal suicides and break the taboo surrounding postpartum mental health challenges.