FDA Approves A Pill To Combat Postpartum Depression
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Zuranolone, a pill, on 5th August 2023. This pill is helpful in fighting postpartum depression, and according to FDA, this pill can quickly restore the mental balance of women suffering from severe postpartum depression.
FDA conducted the study on around 200 women, and the FDA report says that Zuranolone shows “rapid, significant and sustained” results in alleviating postpartum depressive symptoms and is more effective than placebos.
The pill started showing its impact within three days, and with more time, it offered effective results in reducing the symptoms. So, this pill is much more effective than standard antidepressant pills available as those take at least a few weeks to show results.
Zuranolone is a version of allopregnanolone. Allopregnanolone again is a neuro-active steroid that comes from progesterone. Allopregnanolone levels shoot up very high during pregnancy and significantly drop after childbirth. Zuranolone can restore this imbalance and better functioning of the brain.
Dr. Tiffany Farchione, director of the Division of Psychiatry in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said in an agency report, “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. And, because postpartum depression can disrupt the maternal-infant bond, it can also have consequences for the child’s physical and emotional development.”
She also mentioned that oral medications would be better for women who go through postpartum depression, which brings many life-threatening situations. As per studies, 1 out of every 8 women in the United States of America develops postpartum depression immediately after childbirth.
They feel that they are not worthy partners or mothers and constantly suffer from a low energy level, lack of concentration, and inability to make decisions. Sometimes, the situations become so grave that some women start thinking that their death is the only solution to get rid of these chaotic situations.
Hormonal changes, lack of sleep, tiredness, societal pressure, and the mounting pressure of being a new parent are some of the reasons leading to postpartum depression. This pill is surely going to bring positive and impactful changes in helping women going through extreme conditions.
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sibashree bhattacharya
Sibashree has been into SEO and eCommerce content writing for more than 9 years. She loves reading books and is a huge fan of those over-the-top period dramas. Her favorite niches are fashion, lifestyle, beauty, traveling, relationships, women's interests, and movies. The strength of her writing lies in thorough research backing and an understanding of readers’ pain points.
