South Carolina psychiatrist weighs in on postpartum depression medication

POTENTIALLY DEADLY DRUGS. AN UPSTATE PSYCHIATRIST IS WEIGHING IN ON A NEW MEDICATION THAT COULD MAKE IT EASIER FOR MOTHERS EXPERIENCING POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION TO GET THE TREATMENT THEY NEED. DOCTORS SAY POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION AFFECTS 1 IN 7 WOMEN UNTIL EARLIER THIS MONTH, THE ONLY FDA APPROVED TREATMENT FOR POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION WAS AN IV INFUSION THAT HAS TO BE GIVEN IN A HOSPITAL SETTING OVER THE COURSE OF ABOUT THREE DAYS. NOW, A NEW ORAL MEDICATION HAS BEEN APPROVED BY THE FDA. I THINK IT IS A GAME CHANGER. FOR A LONG TIME, WE USED OUR STANDARD ANTIDEPRESSANT MEDICATIONS TO TREAT POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION, AND SOMETIMES THEY CAN BE EFFECTIVE. BUT THE HARD PART IS THAT THEY TAKE A LONG TIME TO WORK IN SOME CASES. AND WHEN YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT A WOMAN WHO IS SEVERELY DEPRESSED WITH HER INFANT. TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE. WHEN IT COMES TO GETTING THAT WOMAN FEELING BACK TO HERSELF AGAIN. SHE SAYS EVEN THOUGH THE MEDICATION HAS RECEIVED FDA APPROVAL, THERE ARE STILL MORE STEPS THAT HAVE TO BE TAKEN BEFORE IT IS READY FOR THE MARKET. SHE SAYS SHE ANTICIP

An Upstate psychiatrist says treatment for postpartum depression ay become more accessible after the FDA's approval of a new oral medication.This month, the FDA approved the first oral medication to treat postpartum depression. Previously, the only FDA approved treatment was an IV infusion that had to be given in a healthcare facility over the course of about three days, according to Dr. Neha Hudepohl, a psychiatrist at Prisma Health and director of the Prisma Health Women's Mental Health Program in the Upstate.She says the new medication works similarly to the infusions but may be easier for more women to access. “The advantage of this new medication, zuranolone, is that it’s an oral agent, so it’s something you can take by mouth, and you only need to take it for 14 days, according to the most recent study, for it to be effective,' she said. "And the phase 3 trials really show a lot of strong efficacy, very quickly, after women started taking this treatment compared to placebo. So, it’s a rapidly acting oral agent that we hope will be very accessible to women who are suffering from postpartum depression.” Hudepohl says about 1 in 7 women experience postpartum depression, which causes symptoms like sadness, depression, anxiety and panic attacks. “We assume that women who have babies are really happy and really joyful, and it can be very isolating and alienating to feel like you might not be experiencing those things," she said. Hudepohl says there are still several more steps that must be taken in terms of approval before the medication is ready for the market, but she expects that to be sometime later this year. She says she hopes this new medication will help get more women the treatment they need when they need it. “I think it is a game changer," said Hudepohl. "For a long time, we used our standard antidepressant medications to treat postpartum depression. And sometimes, they can be effective, but the hard part is that they take a long time to work in some cases. And when you’re talking about a woman who is severely depressed with her infant, time is of the essence when it comes to getting that woman feeling back to herself again.” Hudepohl says if you are experiencing symptoms of postpartum depression, make sure to reach out to your provider.

GREENVILLE, S.C. —

An Upstate psychiatrist says treatment for postpartum depression ay become more accessible after the FDA's approval of a new oral medication.

This month, the FDA approved the first oral medication to treat postpartum depression.

Previously, the only FDA approved treatment was an IV infusion that had to be given in a healthcare facility over the course of about three days, according to Dr. Neha Hudepohl, a psychiatrist at Prisma Health and director of the Prisma Health Women's Mental Health Program in the Upstate.

She says the new medication works similarly to the infusions but may be easier for more women to access.

“The advantage of this new medication, zuranolone, is that it’s an oral agent, so it’s something you can take by mouth, and you only need to take it for 14 days, according to the most recent study, for it to be effective,' she said. "And the phase 3 trials really show a lot of strong efficacy, very quickly, after women started taking this treatment compared to placebo. So, it’s a rapidly acting oral agent that we hope will be very accessible to women who are suffering from postpartum depression.”

Hudepohl says about 1 in 7 women experience postpartum depression, which causes symptoms like sadness, depression, anxiety and panic attacks.

“We assume that women who have babies are really happy and really joyful, and it can be very isolating and alienating to feel like you might not be experiencing those things," she said.

Hudepohl says there are still several more steps that must be taken in terms of approval before the medication is ready for the market, but she expects that to be sometime later this year.

She says she hopes this new medication will help get more women the treatment they need when they need it.

“I think it is a game changer," said Hudepohl. "For a long time, we used our standard antidepressant medications to treat postpartum depression. And sometimes, they can be effective, but the hard part is that they take a long time to work in some cases. And when you’re talking about a woman who is severely depressed with her infant, time is of the essence when it comes to getting that woman feeling back to herself again.”

Hudepohl says if you are experiencing symptoms of postpartum depression, make sure to reach out to your provider.

South Carolina psychiatrist weighs in on postpartum depression medication

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