The First Oral Treatment for Postpartum Depression is Finally Here

As of December 14, 2023, a new medication, Zurzuvae™ (also called zuranolone), is now available for the treatment of postpartum depression following the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s approval earlier this year.

This marks a huge step forward for women and birthing people experiencing postpartum depression—a mental health condition that impacts at least 1 in 7 mothers.

Zurzuvae is the first and only oral drug specifically designed to treat postpartum depression. It is a once-daily, 14-day treatment that, for some patients, improves symptoms as early as three days into taking the medication.

Experts in the field of maternal mental health note that Zurzuvae could be a game-changer for women experiencing postpartum depression. Kristina Deligiannidis, MD, a principal investigator in the Zurzuvae clinical trials says, “Having an option like Zurzuvae that can work at day 15 and improves symptoms as early as three days has the potential to make a profound difference in the lives of women with postpartum depression.”

With this new pharmaceutical development in the field of maternal mental health, there are many questions being asked by healthcare providers, mothers, and birthing people: How does Zurzuvae work? What are the side effects? How is it different than current antidepressant medications? Will insurance cover Zurzuvae? Is Zurzuvae safe for breastfed babies?

In this article, we aim to answer these questions with the latest information available, and we will continue to provide updates as new developments and answers come forward.