Suicide is one of the leading causes of death among young adults and the elderly. According to a short article on international efforts to prevent suicide:
“According to World Health Organisation statistics, in the last 45 years suicide rates have increased by 60% worldwide and the global suicide rate was 16 per 100,000 in 2009. In all countries, suicide is now one of the three leading causes of death among people aged 15-34 years.”
The article goes on to quote a study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal finding that motherhood decreases the likelihood of suicide, with the effect increasing with each child a woman gives birth too. The Canadian article can be accessed here.