Postpartum depression affects as many as 1 in 7 women in the U.S., though there are just two treatments approved for it. Experts say the newest could be a game-changer — depending on its price tag.
The Food and Drug Administration granted approval of the drug, Zurzuvae, for adults experiencing severe depression related to childbirth or pregnancy. The pill is taken once a day for 14 days.
More than half of these deaths occur well after the mom leaves the hospital. To save lives, mothers need more support in the "fourth trimester, that time after the baby is born," one researcher says.
To get a new drug for postpartum depression, some insurers want women to try other drugs first and even electroconvulsive therapy. It could be a test for California's new mental health parity law.