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Can
propecia cause birth defects if the male partner is taking it at
the time of conception
No. The quotes below are taken from the circular included with
propecia tablets by manufacturers Merck.
"Semen levels have been measured in 35 men taking finasteride
1 mg daily for 6 weeks. In 60% (21 of 35) of the samples, finasteride
levels were undetectable. The mean finasteride level was 0.26 ng/mL
and the highest level measured was 1.52 ng/mL. Using this highest
semen level measured and assuming 100% absorption from a 5-mL ejaculate
per day, human exposure through vaginal absorption would be up to
7.6 ng per day, which is 750 times lower than the exposure from
the no-effect dose for developmental abnormalities in Rhesus monkeys."
And; "No developmental abnormalities have been observed in
first filial generation (F1) male or female offspring resulting
from mating finasteride-treated male rats (80 mg/kg/day; 488 times
the human exposure) with untreated females. Administration of finasteride
at 3 mg/kg/day (150 times the recommended human dose of 1 mg/day)
during the late gestation and lactation period resulted in slightly
decreased fertility in F1 male offspring. No effects were seen in
female offspring."
And; "The in utero effects of finasteride exposure during
the period of embryonic and fetal development were evaluated in
the rhesus monkey (gestation days 20-100), a species more predictive
of human development than rats or rabbits. Intravenous administration
of finasteride to pregnant monkeys at doses as high as 800 ng/day
(at least 750 times the highest estimated exposure of pregnant women
to finasteride from semen of men taking 1 mg/day) resulted in no
abnormalities in male fetuses."
In other words. If the male partner is using propecia it should
have no effect on pregnancy and a male fetus.
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