Postpartum depression, now there is a new medicine to help treat it quickly

1 in 5 women who give birth suffer from postpartum depression, a condition that has consequences not only for the mother but also for the newborn .

Characteristics of  postpartum depression are feelings of sadness, anxiety, and even despair after giving birth. According to unofficial statistics, about 1 in 5 women suffer from this disease.

Postpartum depression can have serious consequences for mother and baby. For mothers, it can increase the risk of suicide, high blood pressure, diabetes or stroke. Children born to such mothers are more likely to have developmental delays and problems controlling emotions and behavior, and even have a high risk of dying before the age of 1 year.

A woman who gave birth at the age of 42 in the US is among them. She suffered from postpartum depression just a week after the baby was born.

Postpartum depression causes many consequences for both the mother, the newborn and the family - (Illustration by Getty).

Dr. Misty Richards - medical director at UCLA Health (USA), who has extensive experience treating patients with this syndrome - shared that the patient did not shower or eat. Her husband had to quit his job to take care of his wife and newborn baby.

Ms. Richards' clinic has treated hundreds of such patients. Initially, she conducted intensive outpatient treatment programs, but did not achieve high results. Because even when participating, the patient still has suicidal thoughts.

Dr. Richards decided to prescribe the world's first postpartum depression treatment pill called zuranolone for the above female patient.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the drug in August 2023, but it will take several months for the drug supply process to be ready.

Some psychiatrists said they began prescribing zuranolone after learning about its uses and how to combine it with other drugs. They hope zuranolone will bring about big changes because it works quickly and can be used at home.

Richards said her first patient using zuranolone experienced relief from depression symptoms after about three days. Patients felt a significant effect of the drug on the eighth day and did not experience side effects.

"She said she felt like she had just woken up from a coma ," Ms. Richards said. "The patient's husband cried and was extremely grateful. This is a great success in psychiatry ," she shared.

Before zuranolone, the only intravenous treatment approved in 2019. However, this method carries the risk of excessive sedation and sudden loss of consciousness, so only a few treatment centers can treat it. authorization can be made and the patient must stay in the hospital for 2.5 days.

Additionally, some women taking standard antidepressants often take several weeks for the medication to start working. Meanwhile, zuranolone can be taken with other popular antidepressants and provides faster results .

Still concerned about the side effects of postpartum depression medications

Although zuranolone may provide many benefits, psychiatrists say some patients are hesitant to take it due to concerns about side effects and other reasons.

The drug can cause drowsiness, dizziness, diarrhea, fatigue, and urinary tract infections. Therefore, patients are advised not to drive or operate heavy machinery for at least 12 hours after taking the medicine.

Some other patients refused to take the drug due to lack of data on safety during breastfeeding. Small amounts of zuranolone can pass from mother to baby through breast milk, but studies have not evaluated whether it is harmful.

In addition, the drug is not very effective in patients with mild postpartum depression. Doctors recommend that these patients seek other medical interventions to care for themselves and their children.