title: Unnatural pregnancy deaths in Las Vegas: A descriptive study.
abstract: This study reports descriptive data assessing the prevalence of various risk factors and associations among pregnancy-related death by unnatural causes (PRUD), namely suicide, homicide and accidental causes in the city of Las Vegas. In 7215 women referred for autopsy, results showed PRUD 0.1% (n = 37) was more common in the Caucasian race 45.9% (n = 17), and ages 20-30 years 43.2% (n = 16). We also identified high prevalence of mental illness 51.3% (n = 19) and low prenatal care 37.8% (n = 14), particularly in our suicide cohort 100.0% (n = 13), and 15.3% (n = 2) respectively. Our study demonstrates the first investigation to identify the relationship between mental illness, particularly mood and substance disorders with pregnancy-related unnatural death.
authors.affiliation: Office of the Medical Examiner, Clark County Coroner, Las Vegas, NV, USA; Nuffield Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK. Electronic address: abm.paul@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Anthea B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Mahesan Paul
authors.affiliation: Office of the Medical Examiner, Clark County Coroner, Las Vegas, NV, USA. Electronic address: LSI@ClarkCountyNV.gov.
authors.forename: Lary
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Simms
authors.affiliation: Office of the Medical Examiner, Clark County Coroner, Las Vegas, NV, USA; Spartan Health Sciences University, School of Medicine, Vieux-Fort, Saint Lucia. Electronic address: abrahampaul11@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Abraham Ebenezer
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Paul
authors.affiliation: Office of the Medical Examiner, Clark County Coroner, Las Vegas, NV, USA; Spartan Health Sciences University, School of Medicine, Vieux-Fort, Saint Lucia. Electronic address: jojoyorke@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Jojo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yorke
authors.affiliation: Office of the Medical Examiner, Clark County Coroner, Las Vegas, NV, USA; Spartan Health Sciences University, School of Medicine, Vieux-Fort, Saint Lucia. Electronic address: jottisaroya@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Tarnjot
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Saroya
authors.affiliation: Office of the Medical Examiner, Clark County Coroner, Las Vegas, NV, USA; Spartan Health Sciences University, School of Medicine, Vieux-Fort, Saint Lucia. Electronic address: chrissischmidseder@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schmidseder
authors.affiliation: Ross University, School of Medicine, Portsmouth, Dominica. Electronic address: aamahesan@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Andrew A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Mahesan
authors.affiliation: Jones Institute for Reproductive Medicine, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA, USA. Electronic address: am.mahesan@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Arnold M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Mahesan
mesh_terms: D000059:Accidents / Q000401:mortality*; D000328:Adult; D062787:Drug Overdose / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D005554:Forensic Medicine; D006708:Homicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D009505:Nevada / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D037841:Pregnant People; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D044469:Racial Groups / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013405:Suicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000401:mortality; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Homicide; Las Vegas; Mental illness; Pregnancy; Suicide; Unnatural death