2023-09-20 16:39:59
In the United States, postpartum depression affects one in seven mothers, or hundreds of thousands of people. In August, the US Medicines Agency authorized the marketing of Zurzuvae, a pill that could treat this disorder.
Zurzuvae, developed by the American laboratory Sage Therapeutics, was tested on two groups of patients. They took it for 14 days and were observed for four weeks after treatment. Compared to those who took a placebo, patients with Zurzuvae saw a significant and lasting reduction in depressive symptoms for several weeks. The researchers used a neuroactive steroid, which acts on neurotransmitters regulating mood and anxiety.
Not to be confused with the “baby blues”
Postpartum depression is not a simple “baby blues” lasting a few days like almost all new mothers go through. In addition to outbursts of anger, crying fits or a permanent state of fatigue, mood is affected to the point of sometimes causing suicide.
We do not yet know the price of the drug or the exact date of its launch – probably before the end of the year – but several associations working for the well-being of mothers welcome a “ray of hope”.
Previously, there were ways to treat this type of depression, but they were less simple than taking a simple pill. As for antidepressants, they sometimes take weeks to work, while Zurzuvae takes effect in three days.
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Four years ago, the company developed Zulresso, another drug based on the same molecule as Zurzuvae. But it cost tens of thousands of dollars. In addition, you had to spend 60 hours in a hospital to receive it intravenously, without being able to stay in contact with your baby. The treatment works, but under these conditions, it is too cumbersome to be effective on a large scale. Doctors now hope that mothers suffering from postpartum depression will have less difficulty taking the plunge with a pill that can simply be swallowed with the evening meal.
Beware of side effects
Unfortunately, there are side effects, such as fatigue, dizziness, diarrhea, colds, drowsiness. It is recommended, as is often the case with antidepressants, not to drive for 12 hours after taking it. Mothers also cannot breastfeed during treatment, because it is not yet known whether the drug has any effect on breast milk.
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As the price is not known, we do not yet know what insurance will charge patients nor what will be left to pay. It’s an antidepressant, so it shouldn’t be taken lightly. You have to make sure that your condition justifies it and that your body can accept it. Not all personalities are suitable for this. Sometimes therapy is more likely to work. Postpartum depression isn’t just about chemistry.
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