Age Differences in Employment Expectations and Postpartum Depression

• In Event: 20814 - Workplace Support, Gender Norms, and Work-Family Balance in Policy and Practice

Abstract

Rising prevalence and far-ranging social consequences make postpartum depression a pressing public health concern in the U.S. Limited public safety nets and restrictive maternity leave policies tie access to benefits disproportionately to employment, positioning maternal employment as a key determinant of postpartum mental health. Although extensive research has examined the relationship between maternal employment and postpartum depression, their focus has been limited to unsupportive working conditions as a primary stressor. However, recent evidence suggests that growing societal expectations surrounding maternal employment, driven by a rise of dual-income households and high educational attainment among women, play an increasingly significant role in shaping its psychological effects. Life course perspectives further suggest that these expectations vary by maternal age, leading to distinct mental health outcomes across age groups. This study draws on data from the 2016–2022 Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS), analyzing an analytic sample of 39,409 U.S. mothers. Employing logistic regression estimations and predicted probabilities of postpartum depression by maternal age and employment status, the analysis empirically tests how maternal age moderates the relationship between employment and postpartum depression. The results show that adverse effects of job discontinuity and low-quality employment intensify with age, whereas the negative impacts of unemployment or labor force detachment are most pronounced among younger mothers and decrease with age. Integrating the evidence with life course perspectives and stress theory suggests that age-based employment expectations, specifically, successful labor market entry for younger mothers and job quality attainment for older mothers, produce divergent postpartum mental health outcomes. This study provides novel insights into the interplay between maternal employment, social expectations, and age in shaping mental health outcomes after childbirth.

Author

• Seo-Yeon Lim, UMass Amherst