Differences in the risk of homicide and other fatal injuries between postpartum women and other women of childbearing age: implications for prevention.

OBJECTIVES: This study compared injury deaths between postpartum women and other women aged 15 to 44. METHODS: Risk ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were computed for injury fatality rates. RESULTS: Fifty percent (29/58) of postpartum injury deaths were homicides, compared with 26% (427/1648) of injury deaths among nonpregnant, nonpostpartum women. For females aged 15 to 19, the homicide rate was 2.6 times higher (95% CI = 1.17, 5.95) for postpartum females than for other females. The motor-vehicle fatality rate was lower for postpartum females than for nonpregnant, nonpostpartum females (risk ratio = 0.30, CI = 0.18, 0.48). CONCLUSIONS: Postpartum females aged 15 to 19 years were at higher risk of homicide. Postpartum women were at reduced risk of motor-vehicle fatalities.