Overview

• The share of mothers reporting excellent mental health fell from 38% in 2016 to 26% in 2023 while those rating their mental health as fair or poor rose by 63.6%.
• Declines in maternal mental health began before the COVID-19 pandemic and were observed across all socioeconomic subgroups in the nationally representative NSCH sample.
• Mothers with lower educational attainment, single mothers, and those caring for Medicaid-insured or uninsured children faced the highest rates of poor mental and physical health.
• A persistent gender gap emerged as fathers consistently reported substantially better mental and physical health than mothers despite modest declines in paternal physical well-being.
• Researchers warn that untreated maternal mental health disorders can have lasting effects on children’s development and call for comprehensive support beyond early postpartum.