Depressed Mothers and Impoverished Children

More than half of babies in poverty are being raised by mothers showing symptoms of depression.
The Washington Post (8/26, St. George) reported that, according to a study conducted by researchers at the District of Columbia-based Urban Institute and based on government data on more than 14,000 children born in 2001, "more than half of babies in poverty are being raised by mothers who show symptoms of mild to severe depression, potentially creating problems in parenting and in child development." What's more, investigators found that "one in nine infants in poverty had a mother with severe depression." Unfortunately, the study also found that "even severe depression goes largely untreated among low-income mothers of infants, with just 30 percent speaking to a professional about a mental health problem."