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Maternal (Expert Forum)
The use of Propecia and Pregnancy
Patient medical question and answer from The Maternal and Child Health Forum. Health topic area and articles about newborn care
The use of Propecia and Pregnancy
by Chris__0, Jan 27, 1999 12:00AM
I am a 27 yr old male and just started taking Propecia (the hair loss pill). While we are not planning to start a family in the immediate future - we still intend to have a family. I have read all the warnings about the risks associated with a pregnant woman handling the tablets.
My questions is this, can the active ingredient of propecia be transferred thru semen? And if so, is the amount transferred enough to put a male baby at risk for a certain type of birth defect?
This is a concern to both my wife and I, and would greatly appreciate any help you can provide.
Thank You
Dear Chris:
Propecia is finasteride, a drug previously marketed as Proscar. In this new form, the dose has been lowered and the drug is not detectable in semen. Thus, there seems no likelihood it would be transferred to an unborn child and impair the development of the reproductive organs.
The mechanism of action of the drug would make it most dangerous during the time of male reproductive system differentiation (2 weeks from the missed menstrual period or 6 weeks from the last normal menstrual period until 12 weeks from the last normal menstrual period). Condom would prevent exposure to semen.
Keywords: Propecia, Finasteride
This information is provided for education purposes only and is not a medical consultation. If you have specific questions, please speak with your physician.
