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A prospective study of thoughts of self-harm and suicidal ideation during the postpartum period in women with mood disorders

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Abstract

Individuals with mood disorders are at higher risk for self-harm and suicidal ideation than other psychiatric group. However, the risk of self-harm and suicidal ideation after pregnancy for women with mood disorders is unknown. This investigation assessed the prevalence of thoughts of self-harm and suicidal ideation during the 1-year postpartum period in women with major depressive disorder or bipolar II disorder. Data were collected between June 2005 and March 2010 from a convenience sample of women participating in a study on the course of mood disorders during pregnancy and postpartum. Participant diagnosis was confirmed using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV. Thoughts of self-harm were assessed using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale item 10 and suicidal ideation was assessed using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale item 3. During the 1-year postpartum period, 16.97 % reported thoughts of self-harm while 6.16 % reported suicidal ideation. Further, those reporting thoughts of self-harm or suicidal ideation postpartum also reported higher levels of depression and hypomanic symptoms. We found that a number of women in our sample of women with a diagnosed mood disorder report experiencing thoughts of self-harm and suicidal ideation during the postpartum.

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Conflict of interest

Dr. Sharma has received grant support from, participated on scientific advisory boards for, or served on the speakers bureaus of AstraZeneca, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly, Janssen, Lundbeck, the Ontario Mental Health Foundation, Pfizer, Servier and the Stanley Foundation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Clinical Research Coordinator, Department of Neurology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada

    Carley J. Pope

  2. Departments of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Epidemiology & Biostatistics, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada

    Bin Xie

  3. Psychiatry and Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada

    Verinder Sharma

  4. Perinatal Clinic, St. Joseph’s Health Care, London, ON, Canada

    Verinder Sharma

  5. Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Paediatrics, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada

    M. Karen Campbell

  6. Regional Mental Health Care London, 850 Highbury Avenue, London, ON, N6A 4H1, Canada

    Verinder Sharma

Authors
  1. Carley J. Pope
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  2. Bin Xie
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  3. Verinder Sharma
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  4. M. Karen Campbell
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Verinder Sharma.

Additional information

This paper was presented at the 62nd annual conference of the Canadian Psychiatric Association on 28 September 2012.

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Pope, C.J., Xie, B., Sharma, V. et al. A prospective study of thoughts of self-harm and suicidal ideation during the postpartum period in women with mood disorders. Arch Womens Ment Health 16, 483–488 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-013-0370-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-013-0370-y

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