Passage à l’acte suicidaire des mères en période de post-partum

Abstract

Aims

The aim of our study is to explore the mechanisms that come into play in cases of suicidal acts during the post-partum period. Our starting point is to emphasize the importance of multidisciplinary support – psychological, medical and social – in establishing a multifaceted network for parents during and after pregnancy. Additionally, the link between post-partum depression and suicidal behavior is discussed, as are the different types of risk factors.

Method

Our method consists of a review of the literature on the issues involved in supporting women in the ante- and post-partum periods, to prevent or support post-partum depression, and any resulting acts of aggression. These observations are then supported through the study of a clinical case illustrating the blind spots in the care system, which can leave certain subjects out in the cold. The clinical case illustrates the desire to have a child, the use of drugs during the perinatal period and the consequences of confinement in France during the post-partum period.

Results

The results of our study show that the post-partum suicidal trajectory is multifactorial, originating in the antepartum period, combining endogenous and exogenous factors, as well as society's supposed expectations of the mother-to-be. It should also be noted that support for mothers suffering from post-partum depression is often uneven in the different regions of the country, due to a lack of resources in terms of staff or structure, sometimes allowing the patient to slip through the net of care, leading her to act out. Information and training for professionals on the issue of the post-partum period and its possible repercussions on the mother's behavior are essential for better prevention and rapid treatment. Sometimes, depression is diagnosed during pregnancy, which facilitates treatment and speeds up contact with professionals to provide the best possible support for the mother during her perinatal period.

Conclusion

We note, however, that multidisciplinary support for suicidal women helps limit the risk of the symptoms worsening and the risk of the patient acting on them. We emphasize and encourage concerted work and cooperation between institutional professionals and independent professionals in the psychiatric, medical, and social fields, to establish the multidisciplinary network needed to support all women, as they become mothers. Multidisciplinary support for mothers is essential during the perinatal period. Of course, we need to consider the importance of the health professional's work, but the family, spouse, and friends are also essential resources for the mother's well-being, and it is important to include them in this support network.