Nearly half of UK mothers experiencing mental health problems, survey finds

Almost half of UK mothers have experienced mental health problems in the past year, according to a major European survey.

The State of Motherhood report published by campaign organisation Make Mothers Matter found that 47% of UK mothers reported suffering from mental health issues including depression, anxiety, burnout or peripartum depression.

This was slightly below the European average of 50%. However, UK mothers reported higher levels of mental overload than their European counterparts, with 71% saying they felt mentally overloaded, compared with 67% across Europe.

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Anxiety was the most common condition, affecting 35% of UK mothers surveyed, followed by depression at 25% and burnout at 16%. Among mothers with children under one year old, 11% experienced peripartum depression.

The survey of 800 UK mothers, part of a study involving 9,600 mothers across 12 European countries, revealed the scale of challenges facing mothers as they balance work and family life.

UK mothers were more likely to have changed their working status after having children than the European average, with 60% doing so compared with 55% across Europe. More than a third (34%) had reduced their working hours.

Despite these adjustments, nearly a third (31%) of UK mothers said motherhood had negatively affected their work or career.

Half reported their regular income had decreased, while 37% felt their learning opportunities or progress had been restricted.

The report found that household and childcare responsibilities fell disproportionately on women, with between 63% and 71% of UK mothers saying they were solely responsible for different aspects of children’s needs and household tasks.

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The survey also found that UK mothers were more positive about maternity leave than the European average, with 80% satisfied with the duration and 63% satisfied with maternity leave allowances, both above European averages.

Make Mothers Matter, an international non-governmental organisation that advocates for the recognition and support of mothers, commissioned research company Kantar to conduct the survey.

At an event discussing the findings last week, minister for women’s health and mental health, Baroness Gillian Merron, said: ‘Pregnancy and parenthood should be one of the happiest times in a family’s life, but it can also be one of the most challenging.

‘Women and families deserve all the help they can get before and after their baby is born.’

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She cited government investment into mental health services as well as its commitment for 85,000 more mental health workers and increased mother and baby unit beds.

Baroness Merron pointed to the ongoing national investigation into NHS maternity and neonatal services and encouraged contributions to the inquiry’s call for evidence.