Overdose, Homicide, and Suicide as Causes of Maternal Death in the United States

New England Journal of Medicine 2026

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Authors: Hooman A. Azad, Dana E. Goin, Lisa Nathan, Dena Goffman, Sonali Rajan, Uma M. Reddy, M. D’Alton, Danielle Laraque‐Arena
DOI: 10.1056/nejmc2512078
Cited by: 11
References: 2

Abstract

( N Engl J Med . 2026 Feb 12;394(7):722–723. doi: 10.1056/NEJMc2512078) Leading causes of maternal death (MD) in the United States include cardiovascular disease, hypertension, hemorrhage, and infection; however, recent data have shown that homicide, overdose, and suicide also occur more frequently than literature has previously reported and can be considered large contributors to maternal mortality (MM). This article is a letter to the editor referencing a study of overdose, homicide, and suicide in pregnant and postpartum women and the importance of their findings.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Homicide Infanticide and Child Abuse Intimate Partner and Family Violence Grief Bereavement and Mental Health

Publication details

Journal / source
New England Journal of Medicine
Publisher
Massachusetts Medical Society
Volume
394
Issue
3
Pages
125–125
Publication date
11 February 2026
Language
EN