The new Postpartum depression treatment medication Zulresso, which was just approved yesterday by the FDA, is a synthetic derivative of progesterone. It is a synthetic form of allopregnanolone and also pregnanolone. In late pregnancy both hormones diminish greatly and continue to be low for up to 6 months after delivery.
The drug is delivered by IV infusion over 60 hours at a cost of $34,000 dollars!
At the Salerno Center the levels of progesterone and pregnanolone are continually monitored as well as pregnenolone the precursor to progesterone. In women, progesterone is given orally in its natural form for those woman who have low levels. Symptoms of low levels of these hormones include anxiety, poor sleep, depression, course hair and irregular skin tone as well as PMS symptoms.
In both men and woman pregnanolone levels are low in a great majority of my patients. Low levels are associated with depression and decreased memory. With pregnanolone supplementation which is available at the Center in oral form we restore healthy levels and see mood and memory restored!
It would seem more logical to address postpartum depression naturally and treat the levels of progesterone and pregnanolone rather than under go expensive unnatural treatment with potential major side affects.
We encourage all, particularly postpartum woman with depression to get their levels tested at once. Men and woman in the general population with mood or memory issues should also be tested!
