NATIONAL (SNN TV) – Hope is on the way for new moms suffering from postpartum depression.
The FDA has approved the first ever oral medication to treat the serious and potentially life-threatening condition. Postpartum depression is a major episode that typically occurs after childbirth but can also begin during the later stages of pregnancy.
The medication, Zurzuvae, is taken daily for two weeks. In clinical trials, the treatment improved depression symptoms among new mothers as early as three days after they started the medication.
Until now, the only other available treatment has been an IV injection administered in the hospital.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, around one in eight women report symptoms of postpartum depression after giving birth.