title: Injury deaths, suicides and homicides associated with pregnancy, Finland 1987-2000.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Only few studies have been carried out on the relationship between pregnancy and deaths from external causes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Information on deaths from external causes among women aged 15-49 years in Finland in 1987-2000 (n = 5299) was linked to three national health registers to identify pregnancy-associated deaths (n = 212).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mortality rate for women during pregnancy and within 1 year of pregnancy termination from external causes was lower than mortality from external causes among non-pregnant women (relative risk 0.79; 95% confidence interval 0.69-0.91). Owing to elevated suicide and homicide rates, however, an increased risk was observed for women after abortions, especially in the age group of 15-24 years.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The low rate of deaths from external causes suggests the protective effect of childbirth, but the elevated risk after a terminated pregnancy needs to be recognized in the provision of health care and social services.
authors.affiliation: STAKES National Research and Development Centre for Welfare and Health, STAKES Information Division, Helsinki, Finland. mika.gissler@stakes.fi
authors.forename: Mika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gissler
authors.forename: Cynthia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Berg
authors.forename: Marie-Hélène
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Bouvier-Colle
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Buekens
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002423:Cause of Death / Q000639:trends; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006708:Homicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D012042:Registries; D013405:Suicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000401:mortality*