Homicide among pregnant and postpartum women in the United States: a review of the literature.
Eighteen articles that examined the extent of homicide among pregnant and/or postpartum women in the United States are reviewed, documenting the studies' methods and findings. Results from proportional mortality analyses (studies that examined only deaths, rather than deaths within a larger population of living individuals) showed a modicum of support for the contention that homicide may account for a greater proportion of the deaths among pregnant/postpartum women than among other women of reproductive age. However, results from more comprehensive analyses that estimated homicide risks/rates (studies that examined deaths within the context of living populations) did not find any evidence to suggest that pregnant/postpartum women experience a greater risk/rate of homicide compared to other women of reproductive age. This difference in findings is discussed in light of the different methodological approaches.
Samandari
Ghazaleh
G
Department of Maternal and Child Health, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27517, USA. samandar@email.unc.edu
Martin
Sandra L
SL
Schiro
Sharon
S
D000328:Adult; D018585:Battered Women / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006708:Homicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D008428:Maternal Mortality / Q000639:trends*; D008429:Maternal Welfare / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D049590:Postpartum Period; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000401:mortality*; D011644:Puerperal Disorders / Q000401:mortality*; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States; D016387:Women's Health; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000401:mortality