FDA approves new drug to treat post-partum depression

Post-partum depression has been one of the most common problems among women and unfortunately has been overlooked for long. But now a new pill has brought a new light towards its treatment. The United States Food and Drug Administration has approved  the first pill that can be used to treat post-partum depression. The new pill can be a new ray of hope for the patients who can in future have access to medications that can act fast and can also address severe cases.

The recent announcement of the pill has marked as an important step towards the treatment of the condition that has been since long been underdiagnosed. Many times the condition has also been left unaddressed. The head of psychiatry at the Centre for Drug Evaluation and Research at FDA, Tiffany Farchione described post-partum depression as a serious as well as potentially life-threatening condition where women can experience guilt, sadness, worthlessness. Farchione added that in severe cases they can also have thoughts of harming themselves or the child.

As per the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, nearly one in seven women who give birth, suffer from post-partum depression. Unfortunately nearly 50 percent of the cases are not diagnosed mostly due to the gaps in reporting or screening. The new pill approved is called as zuranolone and will be sold by Sage Therapeutics under the brand name Zurvuvae. The drug can be added to the existing treatment for post-partum depression. As of now the drug brexanolone has been approved for the purpose. However, this drug has to be administered intravenously during a 60 hours stay in the hospital or medical practice.

The new drug zuranolone works by increasing the levels of allopregnalone which is a neuroactive steriod that tends to increase during pregnancy  and can dip at a faster level afterward. Such drops can lead to symptoms like depression, lack of energy, sadness and in more serious conditions self-harm or harming others.

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