European study finds widespread maternal ill health and career penalties

A new European study by Make Mothers Matter of 9,600 mothers across 12 countries found high levels of maternal ill health and persistent work‑life and career penalties in the UK and mainland Europe, with more than two‑thirds of participants saying they felt mentally overloaded. Globally, the World Health Organization estimates about 10% of pregnant women and 13% of women who have just given birth develop a mental health issue.

The Make Mothers Matter survey reported that over the past year a third of respondents experienced anxiety, 20% reported depression and 18% reported burnout; a third of Swedish mothers and a quarter of German and British mothers reported depression, while 42% of Spanish respondents said they experienced anxiety in the previous year.

Experts quoted in the report linked the strain to a lack of supportive policies. Ann‑Katrin Orr of Mental Health Europe said: “Mothers’ mental health is deteriorating because they face huge challenges, too often without support and crucially: because policies haven’t caught up with reality.” A 2024 Swiss study cited in the article found a substantial mental health penalty after the first birth, with a 50% increase in antidepressant use compared with before childbirth and a 75% increase by the child’s sixth birthday; the authors concluded this was a direct consequence of giving birth and changed life circumstances, and that the penalty rises over time and is higher for employed women.