Psychedelic therapy and postpartum depression: priorities and prospects
Guillaume Thuery, Frank Crossen, Daniel Mc Loone, Catherine Hinds, R. T. Duffy, Chaitra Jairaj, Andrew Harkin, John R. Kelly
Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology March 1, 2026 DOI: 10.1177/20451253251408280 via OpenAlex
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractAbout 15% of pregnant women experience postpartum depression, and many remain impaired despite available antidepressants. Serotonergic psychedelics may offer a viable therapeutic approach for postpartum depression, though the benefit-risk ratio is unclear. This review summarizes immune, endocrine, and neural pathways underlying postpartum depression and explores how psychedelics interact with these pathways in relation to maternal motivation, bonding, and caregiving. Special considerations for psychedelic therapy in the postpartum period are outlined. Further research, especially longitudinal trials with adaptations for the postpartum context, is needed to determine efficacy and safety.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Review Longitudinal Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Postpartum depression patients |
| Keywords | Postpartum period Medline Pregnancy Psychology Psychotherapist |
| Citations | 1 |
| Key finding | Serotonergic psychedelics may represent a viable therapeutic approach for postpartum depression, but further research is required to determine efficacy and safety. |
Abstract
Approximately 15% of pregnant women experience postpartum depression (PPD). Even with currently available antidepressant treatments, many women will continue to be impaired by symptoms. Psychedelic therapy offers a promising transdiagnostic therapeutic strategy for several mental health disorders, and early results from current trials suggest that serotonergic psychedelics may represent a viable therapeutic approach for PPD. However, there is marked variability in the therapeutic response to psychedelic therapy, and the benefit-risk ratio in this population is not yet clear. To inform the rationale for the use of serotonergic psychedelics in the treatment of PPD, this review summarises the existing knowledge of immune, endocrine and neural pathways underpinning PPD and explores how serotonergic psychedelics interact with these pathways in the context of maternal motivation, bonding and caregiving behaviours. Finally, special considerations for psychedelic therapy in the postpartum period are outlined and future perspectives explored. Despite the rationale and encouraging early findings, further research is required to determine efficacy and safety profiles. Future studies, particularly longitudinal trials, should include adaptations and safeguards tailored to the unique physiological, psychological and caregiving contexts of the postpartum period.