New pill in the works to combat postpartum depression

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Postpartum depression can impact as many as one in five women and leads to extreme sadness or anxiety following childbirth. A pill approved by the FDA may help alleviate what can be a debilitating condition.

Mother of three Addie Vasquez tells NBC4 she is currently happy and active, but she explains after delivering her first child seven years ago she struggled.

“When I found out I was pregnant I was excited and really happy to be pregnant and he was just over the moon and things changed once I had her,” Vasquez said.

Scott Gspandl, System Director for Outpatient Behavioral Health at OhioHealth, said many women experience that emotional shift.

“I would say, up to 80% of women have some degree of even very mild mood disturbance after delivery,” Gspandl said. “It's just kind of whether it reaches this threshold based on severity, that we call it kind of postpartum depression.”

Gspandl explains hormones are typically behind the sudden emotional or mood disturbance but he explains a drug – in pill form – could work to improve symptoms.

Approved by the FDA under the brand name Zurzuvae, a version of this medication was once only available by IV and had to be administered in office.

“You take it for a couple of weeks, and once symptoms develop, it has a different mechanism of action than conventional antidepressants,” Gspandl said. 

The physician said while the pill form provides more access, it is only available at select specialty pharmacies. According to a report by NBC, insurance companies have varying requirements about how severe patients’ symptoms need to be to get the drug covered.

While Vasquez tells NBC4 she did not utilize the treatment, she said addressing the issue – whether with medication, extensive therapy or a combination of both is critical.

“Nip it in the bud, it’s  better to get help sooner rather than later,” she said.