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Webinar Wednesdays: U.S. Pregnancy-Associated Suicide
Join us on Wednesday, September 10th, as the AVA Webinar Series presents U.S. Pregnancy-Associated Suicide, featuring Dr. Qing Li from Rocky Mountain Regional Chapter of the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine (RM-SAHM) in Denver, Colorado.
Wednesday, September 10th, 2025
12 – 1:30pm MST
Pregnancy-associated suicide is a leading cause of maternal mortality in the U.S. Intimate partner adversity (IPA), including conflict, violence, and relationship breakdown, is a common factor in female suicides and worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. This cross-sectional study examined trends and circumstances of pregnancy-associated suicide from 2018 to 2022 using data from the U.S. National Violent Death Reporting System. We analyzed 406 incidents across 36 jurisdictions with complete reporting. Annual suicides decreased by 6% from 79 (2018–2019) to 74 (2020–2021), then increased by 23% to 91 in 2022. The proportions of IPA and firearm involvement both rose and fell over time (IPA: 45%, 48%, 34%; firearms: 37%, 46%, 31%). Mental health problems (62%), IPA (43%), and firearms (39%) were common. Among 529 incidents from 49 jurisdictions, suicides involving IPA were more likely to include firearms, alcohol problems, intent disclosed to a partner (all p<0.01), and homicide-suicide (p=0.04). In 13 homicide-suicides, 20 children were additional victims. These findings highlight unique risks associated with IPA-related suicides. Screening and interventions targeting mental health, firearm access, IPA, and alcohol use among reproductive-age women may help prevent pregnancy-associated suicide.
About the Speaker
Qing Li, MD, DrPH, is a board member of the Rocky Mountain Regional Chapter of the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine in Denver, Colorado. She is a certified relationship educator and an OB/GYN-trained perinatal and injury epidemiologist, holding a Doctor of Public Health in Maternal and Child Health from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Dr. Li has trained OB/GYNs in China on safe delivery practices and in Mississippi on intimate partner violence screening. Her work focuses on building integrated data systems, evaluating culturally tailored preventive interventions, public health laws, collaborative quality improvement efforts, and integrated systems of care. She is committed to promoting safe motherhood, health equity, relational health, and family resilience.
