The world's first pill for postpartum depression (PPD) is now available in the US.
The drug, brand name Zurzuvae, used to be approved by the FDA in August to help the one in seven new mothers suffering from postpartum depression.
Administered as two pills a day for two weeks, it could eventually provide relief to millions of women who suffer from the debilitating condition every year.
But the drug comes with a hefty price tag — nearly $16,000 before insurance — and health officials aren't sure how much insurance companies will pay.
There is an injectable version of the drug, which is already available, but it must be administered in the hospital over a period of 60 hours.
Zuranolone, an antidepressant, is a pill to be taken once a day for two weeks. It will be sold under the brand name Zurzuvae
Former Victoria's Secret model Chrissy Teigen admitted she suffered from postpartum depression after the birth of her first child and said the months after giving birth were a 'sad existence'
This version costs even more, coming in at $35,000.
A late-stage study of Zurzuvae in pill form found that women taking the drug significantly improved symptoms and felt better within three days compared to women taking a placebo, which lasted at least 45 days.
Dr. Katrina Furey, a psychiatrist at the Yale School of Medicine, said that a woman with postpartum depression “doesn't have enough allopregnanolone and her GABA-A receptors don't work properly, making her irritable, anxious and depressed.” among other symptoms.”
The drug, called zuranolone, belongs to a class of drugs that target GABA receptors in the brain using a substance called a neurosteroid.
It is designed to quickly rebalance dysregulated brain networks responsible for functions such as mood, arousal, behavior and cognition, to help reset brain function.
When a person is depressed, GABA and glutamate, both neurotransmitters, become unbalanced, affecting neuron activity.
Depression treatments typically focus on increasing serotonin levels in the brain, but a growing body of research shows that the GABA pathway can be just as effective.
Zurzuvae can be purchased from specialty pharmacies across the country, which supply medications used to treat rare or complex health conditions. It can also be sent directly to patients.
Dr. Kristina Deligiannidis, professor at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research in New York and principal investigator of multi-site national clinical trials that led to Zurzuvae's approval, said, “With an option like Zurzuvae that can work on day 15 and reduce symptoms improvement in as little as three days has the potential to make a profound difference in the lives of women with PPD.
Lindsay Clancy, 32, admitted killing her daughter Cora, 5, and son Dawson, 3, at the family home in Massachusetts and attacking baby Callan, who was eight months old. Mrs. Clancy suffered from postpartum depression
“This milestone will hopefully be a catalyst for more systemic changes for women with PPD, including a much-needed increase in screening, diagnosis and treatment across all physician specialties.”
Trials of the pill found that its side effects were less severe than those of other antidepressants currently in use, which can lead to sudden loss of consciousness, weight gain or sexual dysfunction.
PPD is a medical condition that many women experience after having a baby.
It involves intense feelings of sadness, anxiety and exhaustion that usually begin two to three days after birth and can last for months.
Other symptoms include insomnia, loss of appetite, intense irritability and problems bonding with the baby.
In rare cases, an extreme disorder called postpartum psychosis can also develop after the birth of a child.
Existing treatment typically includes antidepressant treatment or talk therapy, but traditional antidepressants can take weeks to work.
The condition affects approximately 10 million American women and is strongly linked to postpartum suicide.
According to studies, suicide is the leading cause of death in the postpartum period.
Lindsay Clancy, 32, from Duxbury in Massachusetts, admitted strangling her three children Cora, five, Dawson, three, and Callan, eight months, before attempting to kill herself after suffering postpartum psychosis.
Ms Clancy, who worked as a midwife, reportedly suffered from postpartum depression, anxiety and psychosis.
Former Victoria's Secret model Chrissy Teigen has also admitted she suffered from postpartum depression after the birth of her first child, saying the months after giving birth were a “sad existence.”
It comes as a major new research paper advising women to swap medications for exercise to treat postpartum depression has sparked outrage among women's health experts.
The newly published analysis, by researchers at the China University of Geosciences, claimed to prove this Exercise such as running at least twice a week is more effective than traditional treatments.
