Mothers murdered her newborn psychological and mental state analysis

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Mon, 2014/05/05 - 15:45
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Laboratorinė medicina. 2013,
t. 15,
Nr. 3,
p. 126 -
130

Background. Public widely discussed topic is about mothers, depriving themselves baby's life, which previously gave to him. Neonaticide is killing of newborn within 24 hours from its birth. There are two types of neonaticide: criminal, mostly mothers satisiied due to severe psychological stress, and performed in some cultures as the regulation of the population.

In this article we will discuss mothers who killed their newborn the main causes of doing this criminal when the most attention is on mental status.

Material and methods. During analysis the study of psychiatric examination in law court, carried out for mothers suspected of (charged, tried) kill ing their newborns from 1990 to 2008 years. The study used survey method - a survey. 44 questionnaires were analyzed.

Results. Dominating age of mothers who committed neonaticide was 26-30 years old, accounting for 34.1% of all cases examined. 59% were single women. 52% gave birth not the first time, 48% committed neonaticide during their first labor. Only 2% of women previously had been convicted. 80% of examined cases were not included in the psychoneurologic standings. 18% of women during pregnancy have been observed in health care professionals. 93% of women carrying neonaticide were sober. 68% of women tried to justify the criminal activities. 41% of cases were completely mentally healthy women, 59% had a diagnosis according to International Classification of Diseases. 79% were found diminished capacity. According to a psychiatric expert report, 70.5% of women during the time of neonaticide could understand the essence of their actions and manage them.

Conclusion. During neonaticide cases examination, age of infanticides in difierent groups mostly ranges between 15-19 years and 26-30 years old. Generally newborns are killed within first 24 hours from its birth. Women who kill themselves babies are characterized by unnormal behaviour or thought disorders during pregnancy, but long lasting mental disorders are proved rarely.

Keywords: infanticide, mother, newborn, death, mental status.

 

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