New drug offers hope for moms battling postpartum depression

KSHB 41 reporter Olivia Acree covers portions of Johnson County, Kansas. Share your story idea with Olivia .

Postpartum depression is one of the most common medical complications after pregnancy, yet there's never been a drug to treat it.

The newly available drug, Zuranalone, is helping moms who need it; and reigniting the conversation around PPD support.

Stephanie Taylor knows the ins and outs of PPD. Her latest pregnancy was supposed to be an exciting time. She was finally pregnant after years of trying and multiple lost pregnancies.

“I'm pregnant, I'm excited,” said Stephanie Taylor, Kansas City mom who experienced PPD.

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Taylor gave birth to a baby girl during COVID. Throughout the first few weeks of motherhood, she didn’t feel like the new mom she thought she’d be.

“I found myself, like, completely paralyzed. I felt like I had no idea how to care for this thing,” said Taylor.

She developed postpartum depression. The disease affects up to 1 in 5 women, though Taylor never thought she’d be one.

“I never struggled with mental health. I never had a history of depression,” said Taylor.

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She’s also a nurse, so she thought if anyone would recognize the warning signs, it’d be her.

However, every mom’s experience postpartum is different. The worst case is postpartum psychosis. Dr. Ravi Johar with United Healthcare explained why.

“That's where people are not taking care of themselves or have any interest in taking care of the baby, harming themselves or the baby,” said Dr. Ravi Johar, United Healthcare Chief Medical Officer.

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The first drug to treat the disease was approved by the FDA last year, and it's finally reaching patients.

Taylor called this a life changer for struggling moms.

“We don't have to struggle like this. There is help, and the fact that there's a medication for postpartum psychosis is amazing,” said Taylor.

Because of her experience with PPD, Taylor started social media accounts under the name The Undepressed Mama .

“I want to bring awareness to postpartum depression and postpartum anxiety and sort of normalize what it actually looks like to be a mom,” said Taylor. “It's hard and it's messy and it's not pretty, and it's not esthetic, and it's okay.”

She wants moms to know that PPD doesn’t make them bad moms.

“Postpartum depression doesn't mean that you're not a good mom, because good moms have scary thoughts, and that is something that I think needs to get talked about more,” said Taylor.

The new drug is a step in the right direction, but Taylor and Dr. Johar think there’s a long way to go to support PPD.

“We need to get to the point where maternal mental health is as easy to talk about as a backache,” said Dr. Johar.

The Office of Women's Health has resources for moms struggling with PPD.
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