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, a Kansas City mom who experienced PPD.
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,” she said.
She developed postpartum depression. The disease affects up to one in five women, though Taylor never thought she’d be one.
“I never struggled with mental health. I never had a history of depression,” Taylor said.
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.
“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 United Healthcare Chief Medical Officer Dr. Ravi Johar.
The first drug to treat the disease was approved by the FDA last year. Now, it's finally reaching patients.
Taylor called this a life-changer for struggling moms.
“We don't have to struggle like this," she said. "There is help, and the fact that there's a medication for postpartum psychosis is amazing."
Because of her experience with PPD, Taylor started social media accounts under the name The Undepressed Mama.
@theundepressedmama I’ll literally talk about my story to anyone with ears…they may not want to hear it though 😅 #mentalhealth #SSRI #funny ♬ original sound - brandon 🏳️⚧️🇵🇸🍉
“I want to bring awareness to postpartum depression and postpartum anxiety and sort of normalize what it actually looks like to be a mom,” Taylor said. “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,” Taylor said.
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,” Johar said.
The Office of Women's Health has resources for moms struggling with PPD.
—
KSHB 41 is a Voice for Everyone. You can learn more about our coverage, including our mission statement, on our landing page.
If you have a voice or story to share, e-mail us at voice@kshb.com.
