Motherhood has often been romanticized in myths and sentiment, yet the brutal reality remains: for many women, pregnancy and early motherhood are hig
Motherhood has often been romanticized in myths and sentiment, yet the brutal reality remains: for many women, pregnancy and early motherhood are high‑risk periods—especially when violence is part of that reality.
Shattering the Myth: When Homicide Becomes the Leading Killer
In the United States, homicide surpasses preeclampsia, hemorrhage, and cardiovascular issues to become the leading cause of death among pregnant and postpartum women.ACSPMC+9Wikipedia+9Axios+9
Between 2018–2022, out of 20,421 deaths among pregnant or just‑delivered people, 11 percent (2,293) were due to homicide and suicide—with 61 percent (1,407) being homicides. Firearms were tragically involved in 55 percent (1,261) of these violent deaths.SMFM
Implication: Violence—especially gun violence—has become a maternal health crisis.
Higher Risks During Pregnancy
On average, pregnant or recently pregnant women are 14 percent more likely to be murdered by their intimate partner than non‑pregnant women.PMC+15ACS+15CDC+15
The homicide mortality rate during pregnancy and postpartum is 5.23 per 100,000 live births in 2020—up from 3.30 in 2018 and 3.95 in 2019.NICHD+3PMC+3HRSA+3
In 2018–2019, women of color—especially Black women aged 18–24—faced the highest risk: nearly eight deaths per 100,000 live births, almost four times the national average.SMFM
Shockingly, homicide accounted for more than 10 percent of all maternal deaths, compared to 2.1 percent among non‑pregnant women.PMC+2Wikipedia+2
Global Picture: A Pattern of Peril
Globally, pregnancy poses a specific risk factor for femicide—maternal deaths due to gender‑based violence account for more than deaths from obstetric causes.Wikipedia+2BioMed Central+2
In Brazil, femicide is the leading cause of death among women who suffered IPV (intimate partner violence) during pregnancy, accounting for nearly 45.7 percent of fatalities. The use of firearms increases the risk dramatically (HR ≈ 13), with sharp objects following closely (HR ≈ 10).BioMed Central
Globally, nearly a third to two-thirds of pregnancy-related femicides are preceded by IPV, and most victims are killed in their own homes by male intimate partners.VAWnet+7Wikipedia+7PubMed+7
Intersection of Inequities
Women experiencing IPV during pregnancy are three times more likely to become victims of femicide. And for Black women, that risk jumps even higher—more than threefold compared to white women.Wikipedia
In the U.S., restrictive laws—around abortion access, waiting periods, and divorce—correlate with higher rates of peripartum intimate partner homicide.AxiosACS
A Call to Empathy and Action
These statistics aren’t just numbers—they mark real lives, mothers whose stories were cut short by violence in a period that should have been cherished and protected. We must continue to dismantle the misconception that motherhood is always safe or revered.
Where We Must Focus Our Energy
Healthcare as a haven: Universal screening for IPV during prenatal and postpartum care, with training for providers on identifying non‑lethal warning signs like strangulation, is essential.Wikipedia+1
Policy reform: Laws that ensure access to reproductive healthcare, safe housing, and protective legal mechanisms must be strengthened. Stricter gun control—especially in households with abuse—is urgent.SMFMWikipediaAxios
Data-driven justice: Standardized recording of pregnancy-associated femicides in maternal mortality reviews is critical to highlight and address this public health crisis.Wikipedia
Racial equity: Address structural barriers and systemic biases that disproportionately expose Black and young mothers to fatal violence.SMFMHRSAWikipedia
What to Keep in Mind
Motherhood should be a time of life, of light, not loss. Yet today, for far too many, it’s filled with fear. But knowing this reality equips us to rewrite it—with empathy, policy, care, and collective compassion.
