Overview

• A JAMA Internal Medicine analysis of nearly 200,000 mothers shows “excellent” mental health ratings fell from 38% in 2016 to 26% in 2023 while “fair” or “poor” ratings rose from 5.5% to 8.5%.
• Single mothers and those with children on Medicaid or without insurance experienced the steepest declines in self-reported mental health.
• In 2023, one in 12 mothers rated their mental health as “fair” or “poor,” roughly double the rate of fathers at one in 22.
• Researchers cite financial strain from housing and child care costs and the absence of national paid leave as key drivers in a trend that predated but was intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Experts warn that untreated maternal mood disorders can hinder children’s development and mental health, underscoring calls for interventions extending beyond the postpartum period.