Finally, postpartum depression treatment is gaining attention, largely thanks to the recently developed and FDA-approved medication zuranolone. This pill has shown promise in easing depressive symptoms in new moms noticeably quicker than traditional antidepressants.
This advancement comes during a trying time—postpartum depression has increased from 10.3% in 2014 to 16% in 2018, to 23.9% in 2020. The new medication is a desperately needed immediate intervention, given that suicide is a leading cause of death in the perinatal period (including pregnancy and one year postpartum).
Still, a critical part of the postpartum depression conversation needs to be amplified: prevention.
To learn more about this often overlooked topic in maternal health, we turned to experts who work closely with women and birthing parents struggling with postpartum depression today with a few pressing questions: Why is America struggling with postpartum depression more than other developed countries? Further, can we prevent postpartum depression? And if so...how?
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