US Mothers’ Mental Health Plummets in New Study

The mental health of American mothers has declined dramatically over the past eight years, with the percentage reporting excellent mental health dropping from 38 percent in 2016 to just 26 percent in 2023, according to new research from Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health.

The study, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, analyzed data from nearly 200,000 mothers and reveals a crisis that began years before the COVID-19 pandemic struck.

Most concerning, the proportion of mothers rating their mental health as fair or poor rose by 3.5 percentage points over the study period—representing a staggering 63.6 percent increase from baseline levels. Physical health also declined, though less dramatically, with excellent physical health dropping from 28 percent to 24 percent.

A Pre-Pandemic Crisis

“Although high rates of maternal morbidity and mortality have been well documented, national data on the health status of mothers beyond pregnancy and the first year postpartum is lacking,” said Jamie Daw, PhD, assistant professor of Health Policy and Management at Columbia Mailman School and lead author of the study.

The research examined data from 198,417 mothers who participated in the National Survey of Children’s Health, a nationally representative annual survey. The findings show that mental health declines began well before 2020, though the pandemic did accelerate some trends.

Using sophisticated statistical analysis, the researchers found that less than half of the increase in poor mental health could be attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic. The decline represents a broader, ongoing crisis affecting American families that demands urgent attention.

Fathers Affected Too, But Differently

The study also examined fathers’ health trends, revealing parallel but less severe declines. Among fathers, excellent physical health dropped from 30 percent to 26.4 percent, while mental health changes were less pronounced. However, fathers consistently reported better mental and physical health than mothers throughout all years studied.

In 2023, 8.5 percent of mothers reported fair or poor mental health compared to just 4.5 percent of fathers—nearly a two-to-one difference that highlights the disproportionate burden mothers face.

Socioeconomic Disparities Run Deep

The health crisis isn’t affecting all mothers equally. The study revealed stark disparities based on education, family structure, and insurance status. Single mothers, those with lower educational attainment, and families with Medicaid or no insurance showed significantly higher rates of poor mental and physical health.

Notably, disparities in physical health were even more pronounced than mental health differences. Mothers with less than high school education had 3.7 times higher odds of fair or poor physical health compared to college graduates, while their odds of poor mental health were 1.9 times higher.

Key Study Findings:

• Excellent mental health among mothers dropped 12.4 percentage points from 2016-2023
• Fair/poor mental health increased by 63.6 percent over the study period
• Mental health declines began before COVID-19 pandemic
• Single mothers and those with less education showed highest rates of poor health
• Fathers had consistently better health outcomes than mothers across all years

The Intergenerational Impact

The implications extend far beyond mothers themselves. Poor maternal mental health creates ripple effects that impact entire families and communities for generations.

“Maternal mood disorders, in particular, can have long-term effects on children, directly by affecting development, and indirectly, by increasing the chance of exposure to co-occurring risks such as parental substance use and lower household resources,” Daw explained.

Mental health conditions among parents are associated with adverse birth outcomes, developmental delays, and increased mental health issues in children. They can also contribute to social risk factors including exposure to substance abuse, intimate partner violence, and other adverse childhood experiences.

A Broader Health Crisis

What makes this study particularly significant is its revelation of demographic shifts that compound the mental health crisis. The research shows that between 2016 and 2023, there were notable increases in vulnerable populations: single-parent households rose from 20.9 percent to 22.7 percent, while the proportion of mothers aged 40 and older jumped from 42.9 percent to 49.0 percent.

These demographic changes suggest the mental health crisis is occurring alongside shifting family structures and delayed childbearing patterns that may create additional stressors for modern parents. The convergence of these trends represents a complex challenge that requires multifaceted solutions.

Beyond the Clinic Walls

The study’s findings support recent claims that rising maternal mortality may be “a canary in the coal mine” for women’s health more broadly. Mental health conditions have become the leading cause of pregnancy-related death in the US, accounting for nearly a quarter of all such deaths according to recent data.

“Our results highlight the rising tide of worsening mental health among parenting women as a key target for efforts to improve maternal and child health in the U.S.,” Daw said. “We found consistently worse health outcomes for mothers compared to fathers, suggesting that mothers may need additional consideration and attention in policies aimed at supporting parental health and especially mental health.”

The researchers emphasize that addressing this crisis requires understanding its root causes. Leading theories include limited access to mental health care, social isolation, rising substance use disorders, and broader societal stressors such as inflation, income inequality, racism, gun violence, and climate change.

A Call for Action

The timing of this research aligns with growing national attention to parental mental health. In August 2024, the US Surgeon General issued an advisory titled “Parents Under Pressure,” identifying parental mental health as a critical public health challenge requiring immediate national attention.

What’s particularly striking about the Columbia study is how it demonstrates that maternal health surveillance could be improved using existing data resources. The researchers suggest that adding validated mental health screening tools to national surveys could enhance public health monitoring capabilities.

As policymakers grapple with rising healthcare costs and declining population health, this research offers a clear target for intervention. The study underscores that supporting maternal mental health isn’t just about helping individual women—it’s about protecting the wellbeing of entire families and future generations.

The question now is whether America will respond to this mounting evidence with the urgency and resources that millions of struggling mothers and their children desperately need.