Menstrual cycle linked to suicides, claims AIIMS study

http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/099200905241011.htm

Women in depression, especially during their menstrual periods, run a greater risk of harming themselves including committing suicide, an AIIMS study has claimed.

A team of researchers at the country's premier medical institute here have found that complexities in menstrual cycle may be a reason for heightened suicide risk.

"Women with menstrual problem were more likely to have a major depressive disorder than women with no such problems and menstrual cycle has a positive association with suicidal behaviour," said Dr. T.D. Dogra, Head of the Department of Forensic Sciences, AIIMS.

Using Hispathological examination, a method of collecting tissues from uterus through biopsy, was used to determine the stage of menstrual cycle of the women who committed suicide and were brought for autopsies at the department.

The doctors at the forensic department studied 100 cases of women, between the age group of 15-45, the bodies of whom came for the post-mortem. Of these, 56 were suicide cases while the remaining had died due to other reasons.