Key Issues in Postpartum Psychiatry at Southern California Conference

CONFERENCE REPORTER

Psychiatric issues in postpartum need to be appropriately identified and addressed, Deb York, MSN, PMHNP-BC, APRN, CCRA, told attendees at the Southern California Psychiatry Conference in Huntington Beach, California.¹

York, who brings special expertise to the issues as a board certified psychiatric nurse practitioner and nurse midwife, told the story of receiving an emergncy phone call one evening. It was from a patient who told her, "I'm going to kill my baby tomorrow." The patient, who had a history of anxiety prior to pregnancy, had a plan to kill her child, and realized the need for extra support. (York noted the patient received support and the baby is fine.)

Thus, the first and foremost issue is to ensure proper screening to recognize psychiatric issues, York said, including screening for postpartum depression, anxiety, or psychosis. She encouraged clinicians to dive deeper in the patients’ history and symptoms to ensure a clear and correct picture is obtained. For instance, when depression is detected, work to understand if it is unipolar depression or bipolar depression that previously was undiagnosed. Once the diagnosis is made, patients can be offered safe and effective treatment.

Fortunately, for postpartum depression, there is now a treatment that has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for postpartum depression, York said in an interview. Brexanolone (Zulresso) was the first approved agent for postpartum depression; it was administered intravenously over a period of 60 hours.² This agent has since been discontinued and the FDA withdrew approval in early 2025. Currently, zuranolone (Zurzuvae) is the only approved agent, and was the first oral medication for this indication.³

Collaborating with other medical professionals is also crucial for improving care for women. York said she often receives referrals from obstetricians/gynecologists who do not feel adequately prepared to treat patients. She lamented that many of the resources available from American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists are outdated.

York, who also is the director of clinical research and development at Mountain Mind, coaches positivity and patience to her patients. “Our world is so instant, and [it is important] to be able to take this time to be with self, be with baby, and just to take that time to enjoy this incredible experience of creating life.”

Additional conference coverage can be found at PsychiatricTimes.com.

References

1. York D. Addressing Postpartum Depression: Are We Providing Timely and Appropriate Psychiatric Care to New Mothers? Presented at: Southern California Psychiatry Conference; July 11-12, 2025; Huntington Beach, CA.

2.Kuntz L. Neurosteroid Therapeutics “Offer Great Promise” in Postpartum Depression. Psychiatric Times. December 4, 2023. Accessed July 11, 2025. https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/neurosteroid-therapeutics-offer-great-promise-in-postpartum-depression

3. O’Brien E. FDA Approves First Oral Treatment for Postpartum Depression in Adults. Psychiatric Times. August 4, 2023. Accessed July 11, 2025. https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/fda-approves-first-oral-treatment-for-postpartum-depression-in-adults