Could Finasteride Be Affecting My Sperm?

Dear Doctor,
I have been taking Propecia for years. My wife and I are trying to have our first baby. She has gotten pregnant twice, however both have resulted in her getting a D & C. There have been problems with cell growth after conception in that an empty sac forms with nothing inside. Could finasteride be affecting the genetics of my sperm?

There are many potential reasons why your wife may have trouble conceiving. There are two issues that are known with regard to sperm while taking Propecia —

• Reduced semen volume is very common, but usually the presence of sperm is good.
• A recent report in the medical literature suggests that Propecia may cause reduced sperm counts, so I would have your sperm tested for this.

I would think that Propecia is low on the list of many more common possibilities.