In Case You Haven't Heard…

Only about a fourth of moms in the United States say they have “excellent” physical and mental health, according to a study published May 27 in JAMA Internal Medicine , CBS News reported. The study looked at 198, 417 mothers with children aged 17 and under, finding large declines in self‐reported maternal mental health and small declines in physical health from 2016 to 2023. Within the time frame studied, the prevalence of “excellent” mental health declined from 38.4% to 25.8%. “Good” mental health rose from 18.8% to 26.1%, and “fair/poor” mental health rose from 5.5% to 8.5%. As the study authors noted, their findings are consistent with documented increases in depression and anxiety among pregnant and reproductive‐aged women, as well as the general U.S. adult population. Though more research is needed to identify the specific causes of declining mental health, the authors said leading theories include limited access to mental health care, social isolation, rising substance use disorders as well as broader stressors, from inflation and racism to gun violence and climate change.