Study: Full-time working moms healthier

Mothers who work full time report better mental and physical health than stay-at-home moms or women who work part time, according to a new study.

Researchers at the University of Akron and Penn State University found that women who go back to work soon after giving birth have more energy and mobility, and less depression at age 40.

"Work . . . gives women a sense of purpose, self-efficacy, control and autonomy," study author Adrianne Frech, an assistant sociology professor, said in an American Sociological Association news release.

The study included data on 2,540 women who became mothers between 1978 and 1995. The authors advised young women to finish their education and work for a while before having a baby.

The findings were presented Sunday at the American Sociological Association annual meeting in Denver. -- HealthDay