Conceiving a healthy child while using both Finisteride / Minoxidil

[Sideshow]

Guys,

Been doing a lot of research into potential problems relating to conceiving a healthy child while using both Finisteride / Minoxidil.

I have read numerous academic papers, reports, forums etc but still can't see any link or evidence between birth defects and Finisteride / Minoxidil use.

Does anyone have any experience, thoughts on this?

I will be contacting my doctor before I go ahead with any unprotected sexual activity but still curious what people think.

Cheers

 

[IA2015]

Contact your doctor but from personal reading your child will be fine. finasteride is barely detectable in the sperm and once combined with the females egg it is non-existent.

It's only a problem if the female takes it and conceives.

 

[themainman]

As stated on the guidance for finasteride, as long as the female doesn't touch the finasteride tablets themselves there shouldn't be any issues around the health of the child or female.

I guess the only concern is if you are suffering sexual side effects from finasteride that would affect your ability to conceive. I have been on finasteride for 2 and a half years and it did a great job of stopping my hair loss. However, my erection strength has been affected and in the interests of not harming in the long term I have decided to stop on the finasteride.

 

[Mikazz]

You might wan't to talk with your doctor about it. I was able to find two studies about it, and if I understand correctly, there is a potential risk.

A quote from the first one:

In experimental models, finasteride in vitro caused a significant reduction in the number of spermatogenic cells, diameter of seminiferous tubules, and diameter and thickness of epididymis tubules, although the effects were not seen in vivo. However, in both in vitro and in vivo, the diameter of prostatic tubules decreased significantly.

source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3205531/

The conclusion of the second study:

The significant reduction in DFI within 3 months of finasteride cessation and continued improvement suggests a causal link between finasteride and sperm DNA damage. We hypothesize that low-dose finasteride may exert a negative influence on sperm DNA integrity, resulting in increased pregnancy losses. We suggest that in infertile men using finasteride, sperm DFI should be measured in addition to semen parameters, and a trial of discontinuation of finasteride may be warranted.

source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21292254

 

[g.i joey]

To me, its a brainless decision, why would you risk ruinging your childs life for some extra hair. Take 2 or 3 month break from the drug before you have a kid, take the loss in hair count and get back on it after, you could probably recover alot of the hair lost, but not all, but youll live. You're about to have a kid man, dont even take the chance

 

[The Picard]

To me, its a brainless decision, why would you risk ruinging your childs life for some extra hair. Take 2 or 3 month break from the drug before you have a kid, take the loss in hair count and get back on it after, you could probably recover alot of the hair lost, but not all, but youll live. You're about to have a kid man, dont even take the chance

So you believe everything will turn to normal in just a few months off it?

 

[xetudor]

There have been no reports of birth defects due to the men taking finasteride. I've read a study where a dutch woman took 2.5 mg a day for the first 4 months of pregnancy and he child has born with a penis defect, his hole wasn't where it supposed to be. He was planned for surgery at 1 year and 6 months. It's also the only defect noticed in monkeys when they gave pregnant monkeys finasteride. They gave them a ton of vaginal finasteride and it had no effect. Only the woman taking the pill herself during the formation of the male fetus penis is a problem. This disease of the penis occurs naturally in 1 in 200 boys and it's fixed with surgery.

There is essentially zero risk to the child if the woman doesn't take finasteride. The sexual differentiation starts in the 6th week so if you want to be absolutely free, you can use condoms. The only risk is a little lowering of fertility in men with fertility problems, it's ok to drop the medication if you have problems for almost a year.

So, the worst case scenario, where the woman takes finasteride daily is a defect of the penis, hipospadias. Nothing else has been noticed except at doses 1000-2000 the normal dose when injected in the veins of rats.

You can basically forget about it being a problem and make sure your wife takes folic acid BEFORE and during pregnancy because it has been proven to reduce a lot of nasty birth defects. It's mandatory, I'm serious, it's that important.