Abstract:
Maternal death as a result of suicide has been under-reported in South Africa for several reasons. The aim of this
chapter is to identify all deaths from suicide reported to the NCCEMD during 2017 to 2019 coded in various sections
so they can be analysed as a single group. The importance of suicide as a cause of maternal death has been grossly
under-estimated. Most suicides occurred in women without any known psychiatric disorder suggesting that the
reasons for suicide are multi-factorial. All pregnant women should be screened for mental health conditions as well as
psychosocial risk factors at the fi rst ante-natal booking visit.
