Mothers in the US report declining mental health, according to a new study published in JAMA Internal Medicine. More than 200,000 biological and adoptive mothers surveyed in 2024 were less likely to report “excellent” mental health and more likely to report “fair/poor” than those surveyed in 2016.
While mental health challenges are often intensely private, their impact is broad. Mothers’ mental health can have a profound effect on children’s development, from their academic achievement to the development of healthy eating habits. Families who struggle with poor parental mental health are also more likely to face behavioral challenges in children.
In the most desperate cases, the lives of both mother and child may be at risk. Maternal mental health conditions, including deaths from suicide and drug overdose, are leading causes of pregnancy-related death in the US.
Vulnerable Groups Face Higher Risk
While maternal mental health declined in all categories, survey data revealed the increased stress on households with less resources. Single mothers and those with limited health insurance, including those on public assistance, had significantly worse self-reported mental health than their more affluent counterparts.
Mothers also showed significantly worse mental health outcomes than fathers, and bore the physical demands of pregnancy, birth and postpartum caregiving.
Disparities in mental health are exacerbated by additional barriers to care. Publicly insured families often find it more difficult to find a health care provider and to make regular appointments. Without targeted action to pair mothers in need with support services, the gap in outcomes will only grow.
Investing in Maternal Health Policy
Recent efforts to integrate mental health services into maternal care have taken on new urgency as the crisis deepens. Current programs, while they are growing, remain fragmented.
Measurable inroads could be made with routine mental health screening, improved insurance coverage, and better pathways to referrals and care.
Early intervention can improve outcomes not just for mothers, but for children, families and the whole of society. The data show a clear need. The solutions are within reach. Maternal mental health should be a national priority.
