Treatment Advances in Perinatal Depression: Innovations and Promising Approaches.
Journal of Clinical Medicine December 18, 2024 Kathleen Kendall-Tackett 2 citations
Several innovative, mostly non-invasive treatments for depression during pregnancy and postpartum are emerging. Integrative approaches such as vitamin D, infant massage, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, acupuncture, and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation show promise for perinatal women without medication side effects, and can be used alongside standard care. Two new medications, brexanolone and esketamine, quickly treat severe depression by targeting GABA and glutamate receptors rather than serotonin or norepinephrine, though their effectiveness diminishes after 30 days and they can be combined with SSRIs. Pregnant and postpartum women now have more options beyond psychotherapy and antidepressants.