Psychiatric News Alert. (n.d.-b). Postpartum depression pill Zuralonone shows promise in women with severe symptoms. https://alert.psychnews.org/2023/07/postpartum-depression-pill-zuralonone.html

Introduction

Women with severe postpartum depression may experience improvements within a few days of taking the oral medication zuranolone (a neuroactive steroid), suggests a report published today in The American Journal of Psychiatry. These improvements continued even after the women stopped the 14-day medication regimen.

The study was funded by Sage Therapeutics and Biogen, which are involved in the development of the medication.

Postpartum depression affects an estimated 17% of women worldwide, according to Kristina M. Deligiannidis, M.D., of Zucker Hillside Hospital and colleagues. This disorder can lead to multiple challenges for mothers and infants, including poor maternal-infant bonding, increased risk of infant behavioral problems, and suicidal ideation in mothers. “Current treatment options often include standard-of-care antidepressants; however, achieving response to treatment can take up to 12 weeks,” Deligiannidis and colleagues wrote. “Given the deleterious effects of untreated [postpartum depression], identification of rapid and effective treatment options is critical.”