Join this novel research effort to increase access to mental health care for postpartum parents

Serving all of Pennsylvania virtually

Office appointments available in Doylestown, PA (New Hope location coming soon!)

Understanding the crisis of postpartum depression

Postpartum depression (PPD) affects approximately 17% of new mothers worldwide, posing significant risks to maternal health, child development, and familial well-being (Wang et al., 2021). Traditional pharmacological treatments for PPD, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, often take weeks to show therapeutic effects and may come with side effects that are undesirable, especially during the postpartum and breastfeeding period (Berle & Spigset, 2011). Brexanolone infusions offer an effective, faster-acting alternative; however, they require inpatient care and may prohibit breastfeeding, thus limiting their feasibility and accessibility (Edinoff et al., 2021; MGH Center for Women’s Health, 2019). Therefore, there is a critical need for fast-acting, safe, and accessible treatment alternatives for PPD to improve maternal mental health and to allow mothers to maintain their critical role in newborn childcare. Ketamine, a rapid acting antidepressant, has emerged as a promising medication for PPD. Ketamine has demonstrated rapid antidepressant effects in mood disorders, sometimes providing symptom relief within hours (Abdallah et al., 2015; Yavi et al., 2022). Ketamine has demonstrated significant potential for effectively treating–and even preventing–postpartum depression (Alipoor et al., 2020; Wang et al., 2024). Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP) combines the acute antidepressant effects of ketamine with psychotherapy, allowing patients to integrate the ketamine experience and engage in therapeutic emotional processing with greater receptivity. KAP has shown promising results in treating depression and anxiety (Dore et al., 2019) but has not been studied specifically as a treatment for PPD.

Significance and potential impact of the Empowered Postpartum Project

Ketamine's quick onset of action provides a unique opportunity to rapidly alleviate severe depressive symptoms, making it an appealing option for postpartum treatment. Applying this intervention in outpatient or home-based settings as part of an integrated psychotherapeutic approach could revolutionize care pathways for postpartum women, particularly those unable to access immediate inpatient facilities or unwilling to discontinue breastfeeding. Overall, KAP has the potential to fill previously unmet needs by providing a quick and effective outpatient treatment for postpartum depression to support new mothers during a critical period. The Empowered Postpartum Project is a novel study designed to pioneer research on KAP for postpartum depression. The current study aims to examine the efficacy of KAP in reducing depression and related symptoms in postpartum women, as well as improving maternal and infant well-being and functional outcomes. We aim to address critical knowledge gaps and make recommendations that will support maternal mental health and familial functioning. A successful outcome could lay the groundwork for future experimental investigations, moving towards validating KAP as an accessible treatment for the postpartum population in need. Ultimately, this work could lead to actionable insights that can facilitate broader acceptance and integration of KAP into perinatal care practices, offering profound benefits to maternal and infant mental health. This approach could offer immediate mental health benefits to the women involved, as well as improving long-term public health outcomes by potentially decreasing healthcare costs associated with untreated or poorly managed PPD.

• If you are interested in becoming a participant, donor, or collaborator of this project, please reach out to Michelle through the contact page