For the first time in the long history of this podcast, Christoffer and ezio have a guest: Maria Marti-Castaner, a clinical psychologist and Assistant Professor in Public Mental Health at the University of Copenhagen, who joins them to discuss postpartum depression and whether meds can take down oppressive structures.

The FDA has recently approved the first oral treatment indicated to treat postpartum depression. What’s new about this medication? It seems to be faster-acting. In two clinical trials, women with severe depression experienced improved symptoms 15 days after taking the pill. Still, the long-term effects are unknown as well as its efficacy in mothers with moderate symptoms.

While these are good news for women with severe postpartum depression, they also raise questions: when are we going to start addressing the social determinants of postpartum depression? Are pills moving us away from changing the structures that contribute to women’s suffering? Or can pills be liberating?