Finasteride and Fertility: Case Report and Review of the Literature

In 2012, a case report was presented of a couple who successfully conceived after the male partner discontinued use of finasteride, a drug he had been taking for approximately 10 years. Initial semen analysis, conducted 3 months after stopping the drug, showed severe oligospermia (low sperm count). However, sperm concentration increased a month later, and the couple conceived naturally the following month, resulting in a full-term pregnancy and healthy baby. This was the first documented case of successful conception and live birth after long-term use of finasteride. The report suggested that finasteride treatment, even after several years, does not prevent normal conception. However, caution was advised when using finasteride in male partners of couples trying to conceive.