Brexanolone Is the First Drug Specifically for Postpartum Depression

Postpartum depression is a mood disorder that affects up to 20% of women in the first year after childbirth. Symptoms can range from mild depression and anxiety to severe mood alterations and psychosis. A mainstay of treatment has included selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. However, it can take 2 to 6 weeks for clinical improvement with this approach. In March 2019, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved brexanolone, the first medication specifically indicated for the treatment of postpartum depression. Given as an intravenous infusion over the course of 60 hr, brexanolone has the potential to fill an unmet need for women with postpartum depression. In this column, I will provide an overview of brexanolone and discuss administration, adverse effects, and practice implications for nurses who work with childbearing women.