The US has approved the first pill for postpartum depression.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said zuranolone, sold under the brand name Zurzuvae, has been approved as a once-daily pill taken for two weeks.
Until now, treatment for postpartum depression (PPD) was available only as an intravenous injection, the FDA said.
Drug manufacturers Sage Therapeutics and Biogen said the pill is expected to be available later this year. No price has yet been announced.
Similar to other forms of depression, symptoms of postpartum depression (PPD) can include sadness, loss of energy, suicidal thoughts, decreased ability to feel pleasure, or cognitive impairment, according to the FDA.
It is estimated that one in seven women experience symptoms of PPD in the US, research has found.
“Postpartum depression is a serious and potentially life-threatening condition in which women experience sadness, guilt, worthlessness—even, in severe cases, thoughts of harming themselves or their child,” said Tiffany Farchione, head of psychiatry in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.
“And, because postpartum depression can disrupt the maternal-infant bond, it can also have consequences for the child’s physical and emotional development.”
Access to an oral medication will be beneficial for many women “coping with extreme, and sometimes life-threatening, feelings”, she added.
Source : BBC