Homicide a Leading Cause of Death for Pregnant Women in US (moved from ATSNN)

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Homicide One of Leading Causes of Injury-Related Death Among Pregnant Women, New Mothers, CDC Study Says
24 Feb 2005

Homicide is the second most common cause of injury-related death among pregnant women and new mothers, according to a... CDC study released on Tuesday and published in the March issue of the American Journal of Public Health, the Washington Post reports. In CDC's first national examination of pregnancy and homicide, Jeani Chang, an epidemiologist with the Division of Reproductive Health at CDC's National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, and colleagues documented injury-related deaths of pregnant women and women who had recently given birth in 30 states. Between 1991 and 1999, 617 maternal homicides were recorded, and researchers estimate that there are 1.7 maternal homicides per 100,000 live births in the United States. However, researchers say that number is "significantly understate[d]" because many of the 30 states studied do not have reliable methods for keeping track of such deaths, according to the Post. According to the study -- which examined trauma deaths only and did not compare them to maternal deaths due with medical causes -- auto accidents accounted for about 44% of maternal trauma deaths, homicide accounted for 31%, other unintentional injuries accounted for 13% and suicide accounted for 10%.


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