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 Peer reviewed DOI: 10.1177/20451253251408280 via OpenAlex
Summary
Approximately 15% of pregnant women experience postpartum depression (PPD), and current antidepressant treatments often fail to alleviate symptoms. Psychedelic therapy shows promise as a treatment for PPD, with early trials indicating potential benefits from serotonergic psychedelics. However, there is variability in response and unclear benefit-risk ratios. This review discusses the biological pathways involved in PPD and how psychedelics may affect maternal behaviors, emphasizing the need for further research tailored to the postpartum context.
Study at a glance
| Design | review |
|---|---|
| Population | pregnant women experiencing postpartum depression |
| Key finding | Psychedelic therapy may offer a viable treatment approach for postpartum depression, but further research is necessary to establish 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.