The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved on Friday the first-ever oral treatment for postpartum depression (PPD), which was made in an attempt to raise awareness and recognition of the debilitating condition.
The historic decision aims to address the condition that affects roughly half a million women in the United States every year. In data from clinical trials, scientists discovered that the pills work relatively quickly, working to ease depression in as little as three days.
New Oral Treatment for Postpartum Depression
This timeline is significantly faster than general antidepressants, which can sometimes take up to two weeks or longer to show any signs of working. Additionally, they found that the new pill can simply be taken for two weeks and not for several months, which could encourage more patients to start accepting treatment.
Experts believe that the most significant aspect of the FDA's recent approval of the oral treatment is not the features of the drug, but rather that it is explicitly designed for postpartum depression. Various medical experts argued that while there are other antidepressants that are effective for the condition, the availability of one that is tailored to it can be a chance to reduce the stigma of postpartum depression, as per the New York Times.
They hope that the development encourages more women to seek help and prompt more obstetricians and family doctors to screen their patients for symptoms and suggest counseling or treatment.
In a statement, a psychiatrist with the Center for Women's Mental Health at Massachusetts General Hospital, Dr. Ruta Nunacs, said that the current patient population more often than not, "falls through the cracks."
She said that whenever women are told that they have postpartum depression, they consider it embarrassing and degrading, making them feel like they are bad moms. The medical expert added that there is currently a lot of stigma for antidepressant medication in treating postpartum depression.
The director of the Division of Psychiatry in the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, Tiffany R. Farchione, M.D., said that PPD is considered a serious and potentially life-threatening condition. She noted that when women are affected by it, they experience sadness, guilt, worthlessness, and even thoughts of harming themselves in severe cases, according to the FDA.
Treating the Debilitating Condition
However, the effectiveness of the new oral treatment does come with a few side effects that people should be aware of in certain cases. The most common ones are drowsiness, dizziness, diarrhea, fatigue, nasopharyngitis, which is another name for the common cold, and urinary tract infection (UTI).
Experts also warned that the use of the new pill, known as Zurzuvae, can cause suicidal thoughts and behavior among patients and noted that it could also cause fetal harm. They recommended that women should use effective contraception while taking, and for one week after taking, the new oral treatment.
The FDA also added a boxed warning to the use of the new pill, saying that it can affect a person's ability to drive and perform other potentially hazardous activities. Additionally, scientists warn that patients taking the pill may not be able to assess their own degree of impairment. The agency recommends not driving or operating any heavy machinery for at least 12 hours after taking the new drug, said CNN.
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