Postpartum Depression Awareness: Zuranolone Medication · Maternal Symptoms · Postpartum Psychosis · Paternal Postpartum Depression
Source: Mayo Clinic
Most new moms experience postpartum “baby blues” after childbirth, which commonly include mood swings, crying spells, anxiety and difficulty sleeping. Baby blues usually begin within the first 2 to 3 days after delivery and may last for up to two weeks. But some new moms experience a more severe, long-lasting form of depression known as postpartum depression.
Postpartum depression may be mistaken for baby blues at first — but the symptoms are more intense and last longer. These may eventually interfere with your ability to care for your baby and handle other daily tasks. Symptoms usually develop within the first few weeks after giving birth. But they may begin earlier — during pregnancy — or later — up to a year after birth.
With postpartum psychosis — a rare condition that usually develops within the first week after delivery — the symptoms are severe. Symptoms may include: Paranoia, having obsessive thoughts about your baby, hallucinating, and delusions Postpartum psychosis may lead to life-threatening thoughts or behaviors and requires immediate treatment.
Studies show that new fathers can experience postpartum depression, too. They may feel sad, tired, overwhelmed, anxious, or have changes in their usual eating and sleeping patterns. These are the same symptoms that mothers with postpartum depression experience. Fathers who are young, have a history of depression, experience relationship problems or are struggling financially are most at risk of postpartum depression.
The FDA has approved Zuranolone the first pill specifically aimed to treat mothers with postpartum depression.
The study found that when taken twice daily for two weeks, women with severe postpartum depression experienced “significant improvements in depressive symptoms” compared to those who were given a placebo.
Researchers say that the women who took the medication saw relief in as early as three days. The study also stated that those improvements were still reported 28 and 45 days later.
Some of the side effects reported for Zuranolone include drowsiness, dizziness and nausea.