Moms in the U.S. report large decline in mental health in recent years, study finds

Only about a fourth of moms in the United States say they have "excellent" physical and mental health, according to a new study.

The study, published Tuesday in JAMA Internal Medicine, looked at 198, 417 mothers with children age 17 and under, finding large declines in self-reported maternal mental health and small declines in physical health from 2016 to 2023.

The health outcomes were measured on a four-point scale, including excellent, very good, good and fair/poor.