Propecia Infertility: Kids Don’t Care if You’re Bald

Ottawa, ONInfertility is typically considered a woman’s issue, but three out of 10 cases of infertility are due to problems deriving from the man, according to statistics from Canada’s federal government. Many factors can contribute to male infertility, including Propecia, which is known to affect sperm quality.

“Sperm is on a three-month assembly line from its development in the testicles to when it’s mature, and any insult over that three-month period can have an impact on it,” explained Dr. Ken Cadesky, medical director of Trio Fertility in Toronto, to Global News (December 2016). Men taking Propecia may be unaware that the hair-loss drug can affect sperm count, until they try to conceive.

Sometimes a specific cause of infertility cannot be found. But some causes are poor lifestyle choices. According to Cadesky, vices like smoking (especially marijuana, which is proven to have a negative effect on male fertility), excessive drinking and drug use are all factors that can significantly impact fertility. And prescription drugs: steroids and hormones like testosterone and Propecia can temporarily “wipe out sperm”. So couples trying to conceive might want to examine their lifestyles before considering costly fertility clinics.

According to WebMD, in about 25 percent of cases there is no identifiable reason for low sperm count. For the rest, it can be chalked up to a number of health issues, including testicular injuries, infections from childhood (like mumps), chemotherapy and radiation, and operations like hernia surgery. On its website the Cleveland Clinic states that up to five percent of men taking Propecia will have a “major reduction in their sperm numbers”.

Interestingly, Viagra may be a temporary fix. Cadesky explained that, aside from the obvious benefit of correcting erectile dysfunction, some studies show that Viagra produces more semen (not necessarily a better semen count though). Men, if you are taking Propecia and having trouble creating a pregnancy, children don’t care if you are bald.