Minoxidil and Pregnancy
I am a 33 year old female who has been using 5% minoxidil for the last 2.5 years. The minoxidil has helped hair to grow in the thin/bald areas of my head and has been very sucessful.
I want to try and have a baby this year. I know it is not advisable to take minoxidil during pregnancy but my question is to when do I need to stop. Is it OK to be using it while I am trying to conceive and to stop as soon as I know I am pregnant? I’m worried that if I stop now and don’t conceive for a long period then I am going to have to suffer the bald patches again.
Thank you
Topical minoxidil has small absorption from skin that can potentially affect the baby during pregnancy. There is not enough information on humans for the use of minoxidil during pregnancy, but animal studies showed some side effects on babies. To be on the safe side you should not use topical minoxidil during pregnancy. Of course, stopping the drug may cause reversal of the benefits in a short 3 month timeframe. Using minoxidil during lactation is thought to be safe. The good news is that your hormonal balance during pregnancy is toward protecting hair growth and strengthening hair via a surge of estrogen. Your hair loss may be affected adversely after pregnancy (telogen effluvium) and during this period you can restart taking topical minoxidil.
Just to clarify the above person’s question. Is it ok to take minoxidil while trying to get pregnant? That is, before actually becoming pregnant, although while trying.
Just thinking if Topical minoxidil is not very suitable during pregnancy, is there any other alternatives? An empty patch on certain part of the head can be quite undesirable especially if that area is noticeable….
Here’s the official safety warning about lacation and minoxidil, which makes it clear but was apparently based on a very limited study:
“Minoxidil is excreted into breast milk. The manufacturer recommends that due to the potential for serious adverse reactions in nursing infants, a decision should be made to discontinue nursing or discontinue the drug, taking into account the importance of the drug to the mother.
Limited data from a single study of a woman who was taking minoxidil 7.5 mg daily reveals a maximum milk to maternal plasma concentration ratio of 1:3 at one hour after dosing.”
It is not okay to use while breastfeeding. And, in a study of 4 pregnant women 1 women had a healthy baby the other 3 were not so lucky. I would stop if you are trying to get pregnant and start again after birth only if you are not breastfeeding.
So how about when the husband is using minoxidil? Should I stop in that case as well when trying to get (my wife) pregnant?