Purinethol and fertility

Hi, My question is actually about my husband.  My husband was diagnosed with Crohn's disease at the age of 18.  He doesn't remember if his GI specialist talked to him about fertility issues with any of his medications when he started them but that was also 10 years ago.  My husband is currently taking 100 mg of purinethol a day.  We are currently trying to conceive.  I'm an RN, and I like to know what medications my husband is taking, and when I researched Purinethol, it stated that it is a chemotherapy agent.  It listed infertility as a side effect in 10-29% of the people taking it.  My question is what kind of effect do you think this medication will have on our chances of having a child, and should my husband undergo a sperm analysis?  Thank you very much for your time.

[Ratnakar Kini, MD]

Hi,
Purinethol is a immunomodulatory drug.
It affects cells which are rapidly multiplying and hence it can cause a decrease in the sperm count.

If you are contemplating to conceive, ask your husband to have semen analysis done. If it is  within normal limits go ahead with conception. If the sperm count is less, discuss with your gastroenterologist to change the medication and suggest an alternative.
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The information provided is for patients’ education only and is not a medical advice. Always consult your personal physician for complete evaluation of your health problem.

- Ratnakar Kini M.D