By Cindy Herrick, MA, PMH-C, CPSS

Since 2018, the Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health has been working to highlight the issue of maternal suicide, the need for reporting, and to drive action to improve maternal suicide rates in the U.S. As maternal suicide is a leading cause of maternal mortality in the U.S. and is intricately connected with maternal mental health disorders, the Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health has also been a strong proponent and a catalyst for the implementation and integration of suicide prevention programs into maternal healthcare.

In 2022, the Policy Center released an issue brief on maternal suicide, which presented the latest facts and issues on maternal suicide including:

Risk factors for maternal suicide
Race and maternal suicidality
Maternal suicide prevention strategies and programs include:
- Screening for maternal suicidality
- Evidence-based interventions, treatments, and strategies
- The Zero Suicide Framework
The latest on maternal suicide data collection in the US
Emerging considerations that address current evidence, systems, and policy gaps in maternal suicide prevention

Last week, the Policy Center updated and rereleased the issue brief on maternal suicide to include:

Updated data on maternal suicide
New screening and policy recommendations

Access the updated issue brief

You can also learn more about the latest research and updates on maternal suicide in our Maternal Suicide Fireside Chat.