Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health Division

Publish Date

June 2023

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Is your loved one showing signs of suicidal thinking during or after pregnancy?

What the loved ones of parents-to-be need to know

At MCAH we believe all parents, babies, and families deserve to live their best lives. Yet one in three pregnant people experience clinically significant anxiety or depression symptoms during or after pregnancy. In California, between 5% and 14% of pregnant and postpartum people have thoughts or intentions of self-harm, or suicidal ideation – a strong risk factor for suicide. This fact sheet is created to bring awareness to this important topic and to provide information about the risk factors for suicide during and after pregnancy.

Suicide among pregnant or recently pregnant people can sometimes be prevented when someone intervenes.1 Use this information to help assess whether your loved one needs help.

Understand what to look for:

Positive Signs:^{1 &
3}

Access to effective behavioral health care
Connectedness to individuals, family, community, peer support
A sense of purpose or meaning in life
Cultural, religious or personal beliefs that discourage suicide

Warning Signs: ^{2 &
3}

History of mental health conditions or suicide attempt(s)
Extreme mood swings
Misuse and abuse of alcohol, illegal drugs or prescription opioids before pregnancy
New onset of mental health condition during or after pregnancy

Exposure to violence/trauma (physical, sexual or emotional), intimate partner violence or incarceration
Recent pregnancy loss, loss of a child or a loved one

How you can help:

Use these tips to ask how they are feeling:⁴

Choose a good time, and somewhere without distractions
Acknowledge their emotions
Show care and concern without judgement
Avoid giving your view of what’s wrong, or what they should do

Work with them to develop a safety plan
If you think they may need help, support them in getting the care they need

“I understand if it feels awkward or uncomfortable to go see a counselor. But there is a phone number we can call to talk to somebody. Maybe they can help?”
Stay connected by following up with your loved one to see how they are doing. Give them a call or send a text.

Use open questions that need more than a yes/no answer:

“How are you feeling?”⁵
“I am here for you whenever you want to talk.”⁴
“I care about you and am here to listen. Do you want to talk about what’s been going on?” ⁵
“I’ve been worried about you. Can we talk? If not, who are you comfortable talking to?” ⁵
“What have you been doing to take care of yourself?”
“What are your plans in the near or far future?”

Resources:

Local Mental Health Assistance
988 lifeline to text or call for yourself
988 lifeline to help someone else
Know the Signs
Maternal Mental Health
Postpartum Support International: Helpline 1-800-944-4773
Helpful Tips for Partners & Families

References

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