Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT.
Assistant Professor.
Obstet Gynecol Surv. 2022 May;77(5):293-301. doi: 10.1097/OGX.0000000000001025.
Suicide is a leading cause of death in the United States, with increasing rates among women. Women are more likely to experience suicidal ideation and engage in suicide behavior than men, and risk is elevated at key points where they may engage in care with a women's health care provider.
This review describes the prevalence of and risk factors for suicide among women and highlights the role of obstetrician-gynecologists in suicide prevention.
A PubMed, MEDLINE, and PsycINFO search was completed for English-language publications about suicide among women, including subtopics (eg, perinatal suicide, suicide during perimenopause).
There are overlapping risk factors that contribute to suicide among women, including intimate partner violence and substance use. Specific groups of women may present with unique risk factors, such as women veterans, women in rural areas, and women with preexisting mental health diagnoses, particularly serious mental illnesses. Some women at risk for suicide are not seen in clinical settings, and thus community interventions may be beneficial. There are roles for obstetrician-gynecologists within and outside of the clinic to prevent suicide.
Obstetrician-gynecologists can save lives by being aware of the prevalence of suicide ideation and behavior among women, understanding risk factors for suicide over the lifespan, regularly screening for these factors, asking directly about suicide ideation and intent, and being aware of clinical and community resources. Outside of the clinic, they can advocate for increased health care access and community-based interventions. These efforts can contribute to the reduction of preventable death and maternal mortality.
自杀是美国的主要死因之一，女性的自杀率呈上升趋势。女性比男性更有可能出现自杀意念并采取自杀行为，而且在她们可能与女性健康护理提供者进行护理的关键时期，风险会升高。
本综述描述了女性自杀的流行率和风险因素，并强调了妇产科医生在预防自杀中的作用。
对关于女性自杀的英文文献进行了 PubMed、MEDLINE 和 PsycINFO 搜索，包括子主题（例如，围产期自杀、围绝经期自杀）。
有一些重叠的风险因素会导致女性自杀，包括亲密伴侣暴力和物质使用。某些特定群体的女性可能存在独特的风险因素，例如女军人、农村地区的女性以及有先前心理健康诊断的女性，特别是严重的精神疾病。一些有自杀风险的女性并未在临床环境中就诊，因此社区干预可能会有所帮助。妇产科医生在诊所内外都可以发挥预防自杀的作用。
妇产科医生可以通过意识到女性中自杀意念和行为的普遍存在、了解一生中自杀的风险因素、定期筛查这些因素、直接询问自杀意念和意图、以及了解临床和社区资源，来拯救生命。在诊所外，他们可以倡导增加医疗保健的获取和基于社区的干预措施。这些努力有助于减少可预防的死亡和孕产妇死亡率。
