The US Food and Drug Administration has approved a new medicine to treat postpartum depression (PPD) – the first oral treatment for a condition that can affect women after childbirth or in the later stages of pregnancy. Zurzuvae (zuranolone), is a neuroactive steroid that is thought to work by rebalancing brain networks responsible for mood and cognition. It is the second drug to be approved for this condition after Zulresso (brexanolone) which was authorised by the agency in 2019 but can only be administered intravenously.
