Opinion TheKillings ofYoungMothersIt’s an hour before sunrise in New Orleans, and Markitha Sinegal is fighting with her boyfriend again. In Louisiana, where Markitha Sinegal lived, homicide is the second leading cause of death for pregnant and postpartum women. Homicide deaths are usually omitted from maternal mortality statistics because they aren’t considered sufficiently related to the pregnancy itself. But homicide isn’t a rare anomaly for pregnant and postpartum women — it’s one of their leading causes of death. Domestic violence is rooted in power and control, and pregnancy is a tether that can shift a relationship’s dynamic.

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Persons: They’re, Markitha, ”, “, it’s, Markitha Sinegal, —, Young, Maeve Wallace, Dr, Wallace, Sinegal’s, She’s, Markitha’s, Markitha doesn’t, It’s, won’t, He’ll, They’ve, Sinegal, ’, they’re Organizations: University Medical Center, National Center for Health, University of Arizona, St, Parish Sheriff’s, American College of Obstetricians, Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office Locations: United States, New Orleans, Louisiana, —, Parish, America, Orleans Parish