First Pill for Postpartum Depression Shows Varied Real-World Results

July 22, 2025

black and white image of a woman looking down

(New York Times) – Clinical trials had found that the drug, zuranolone, marketed as Zurzuvae and taken daily for 14 days, can ease symptoms for some women in as little as three days, while general antidepressants can take weeks. For Ms. Cohn, its impact was swift and striking. On her fourth day of taking it, she said she suddenly “felt so much clarity in my head, like I didn’t have nagging thoughts about not being good enough.”

Now, a year and a half after the drug became available, thousands of women have tried it, and their experiences have run the gamut. For some, symptoms improved remarkably. Others described a modest benefit that didn’t last or said their depression persisted. And others didn’t complete the two-week regimen because profound drowsiness, a common side effect of the drug, interfered with their ability to care for their babies or to fulfill other responsibilities. (Read More)