A study has found that women with a history of substance abuse have a six-fold increase in the risk of attempting suicide shortly after giving birth, Reuters Health reported Aug. 18.

Examining hospital records from women who gave birth in Washington state between 1992 and 2001, researchers compared 355 women hospitalized for a suicide attempt within a year of giving birth with a larger group of new mothers who had not attempted suicide. The researchers found that women with a substance abuse history were six times more likely to have a postpartum suicide attempt, while women with a history of a psychiatric disorder were 27 times more likely to attempt suicide.

Lead researcher Katherine A. Comtois of the University of Washington School of Medicine and colleagues said mental health and substance abuse diagnoses clearly are risk factors for postpartum suicide that should be monitored by health care providers and family members. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has recommended that women be routinely screened for psychosocial risk factors during prenatal care.

The researchers found that suicide risk was considerable higher for women who had been hospitalized for a substance use or mental health problem five years prior to giving birth.

The study findings were reported in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.