BILLINGS - Few moments in life are more exciting than the birth of a child. But what often isn't discussed is what many moms experience in the weeks and months that follow.
"Increased tearfulness, the increased fatigue, mixed with the sleep deprivation, the adjustment period of having a new baby and possibly pre-existing mental health conditions can really impact moms," said Dr. Kari Bates, an obstetrician at St. Vincent's Healthcare in Billings.
Postpartum depression is a serious mental health condition that can last months and in some cases years.
There's hope that a new FDA-approved drug called Zurzuvae can help. It's the first pill specifically targeted to treat postpartum depression.
"I suffered from postpartum depression with my second child, and I didn’t know it right away. I was a nurse at the time, and I really had no clue. It wasn’t really talked about too much in pregnancy. I think it was about six weeks postpartum when my provider diagnosed me with postpartum depression and then put me on an antidepressant, which I was on for a really, really long time," said Ashley Jones, a certified nurse midwife at St. Vincent's Healthcare in Billings.
Jones suffered from postpartum depression for months, and she's not alone. Bates also experienced postpartum depression after giving birth.
"I went untreated, and I did not seek the help that I should have... It snuck up on me. I did not realize that I had it and I’m a healthcare provider. So, that kind of gives you a sample of how sometimes you’re not really aware of what’s happening to yourself when you’re newly postpartum and you’re a new mom," added Bates.
Both Bates and Jones are excited about what the pill could mean for new moms.
"It’s an interesting course for postpartum depression because it’s very short. It’s only a 14-day course, and a lot of times people that develop postpartum depression are not looking to be on a medicine chronically," said Bates.
Zurzuvae should be available before the end of the year. It's a drug that when prescribed with therapy can hopefully lead to better outcomes for those struggling with postpartum depression.
"There are two pillars, there’s counseling or therapy and there’s medication. Both of them working together are better than either alone and that’s something that we know across the board, and we have good data to support that," Bates said.
"If you can treat it early on, the better that mom’s going to be, the better that family’s going to be, the outcome is going to be better," Jones added.
