{
  "abstract": "Background: Postpartum mental health problems are a critical public health concern, with serious consequences including self-harm and adverse outcomes for both mother and child. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of self-harm thoughts and associated factors among postpartum women in Lithuania.\n\nMethods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in autumn 2024 using an anonymous online questionnaire distributed via social media. The survey included socio-demographic, behavioral, and psychosocial variables, a question on self-harm thoughts, and assessment of postpartum depression using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. A total of 1,010 women within six months postpartum participated. Mann–Whitney and Fisher’s exact tests were used.\n\nResults: Overall, 18.7% reported self-harm thoughts. These were reported by 2.4% of women without postpartum depression and 32% of those with postpartum depression (p < 0.001). Higher prevalence was observed among women with a history of pregnancy termination (p = 0.008), prior mental health care (p < 0.001), alcohol use postpartum (p < 0.001), and smoking (p < 0.001). Married women reported such thoughts more often than those in non-registered partnerships (p = 0.02). Breastfeeding and partner/family support were protective (p = 0.03; p < 0.001). No associations were found with age, education, socioeconomic status, physical activity, number of pregnancies, residence, miscarriage history, pregnancy complications, or newborn health.\n\nConclusions: Nearly one in five women experienced self-harm thoughts within six months postpartum. Women with postpartum depression had a markedly higher prevalence (32% vs 2.4%). Behavioral factors and lack of psychosocial support increased risk, while social support was protective.\n\nKey messages: • Self-harm thoughts affect nearly one in five women within six months postpartum and are strongly associated with postpartum depression.\n\n• Psychosocial support and modifiable health behaviors play an important role in reducing self-harm risk during the postpartum period.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [],
  "article_type": "abstract",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 5,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "J Stanislavovienė"
    },
    {
      "name": "M Orlenkovič"
    },
    {
      "name": "G Norvaišaitė"
    },
    {
      "name": "P Purlys"
    },
    {
      "name": "M Jakubauskienė"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/bj59zh3p155fz.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1093/eurpub/ckag169.1722",
  "fulltext_url": "https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13699977/",
  "id": "bj59zh3p155fz",
  "issns": [
    "1101-1262",
    "1464-360X"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckag169.1722",
  "language": "en",
  "licence": "CC-BY-NC-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY-NC 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "heading",
      "6. Poster Displays"
    ],
    [
      "heading",
      "AcademicSubjects/MED00860"
    ],
    [
      "heading",
      "AcademicSubjects/SOC01210"
    ],
    [
      "heading",
      "AcademicSubjects/SOC02610"
    ],
    [
      "heading",
      "DQ. Maternal, child and adolescent public health"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "2739|Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7223704780",
  "pdf_url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13699977/pdf/?tool=EBI",
  "pmcid": "PMC13699977",
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-10-01",
  "publisher": "Oxford University Press",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/bj59zh3p155fz.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:20:30Z",
      "native_id": "PMC13699977",
      "source": "pmc",
      "url": "https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckag169.1722"
    },
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:21:44Z",
      "native_id": "PMC:PMC13699977",
      "source": "europepmc",
      "url": "https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13699977"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "openalex:2739|Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum",
      "subfield": "epidemiology-public-health"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Self-harm thoughts in postpartum women in Lithuania: prevalence and associated factors",
  "title_text": "Self-harm thoughts in postpartum women in Lithuania: prevalence and associated factors",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:36:28Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/bj59zh3p155fz",
  "venue": "The European Journal of Public Health",
  "versions": []
}