The FDA on Friday approved the first pill to treat postpartum depression, which affects around one in seven people after childbirth. Doctors say only around 10% of those receive adequate care. Zuranolone, to be sold under the name Zurzuvae, is manufactured by Biogen and Sage Therapeutics and is taken for just two weeks.
But mental health experts warned that while the pill could help many people, it is not a cure-all for postpartum mood disorders. Behavioral scientist Judite Blanc noted the many contributing factors, including poor institutional support and policies for new parents, with women of color and of lower socioeconomic status being the most vulnerable. Blanc told The Washington Post, “We need longer maternity leave, more flexible work schedules and universal child care.”