Finasteride in Pregnancy — Is It Safe?
Last reviewed: · Source: US FDA drug label database
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Women must never take finasteride in pregnancy — it causes genital malformations in male fetuses. Women of childbearing age must not even handle crushed tablets.
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Is it safe to take Finasteride with Pregnancy?
Finasteride is absolutely contraindicated in pregnancy for women. It inhibits 5-alpha reductase, the enzyme responsible for converting testosterone to DHT in the developing male fetus. DHT is essential for normal male genital development. Exposure during the critical developmental window causes feminisation of male genitalia (hypospadias, ambiguous genitalia). Women who are pregnant or may become pregnant must not handle broken or crushed finasteride tablets — the drug can be absorbed through the skin.
How do Finasteride and Pregnancy interact?
Finasteride blocks type II 5-alpha reductase. DHT is required for virilisation of the urogenital sinus, genital tubercle and labioscrotal folds in male fetuses during the first trimester. Female fetuses are not affected. The teratogenic risk is established in animal models and extrapolated to humans based on the mechanism.
Data sourced from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) drug label database: FDA finasteride label — Category X in women of childbearing potential; strict handling warning.
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Any woman of childbearing age — don't touch crushed or broken tablets. If a man taking finasteride is trying to conceive, note that finasteride has minimal effect on fertility.
What if I've already taken Finasteride and Pregnancy?
If a pregnant woman accidentally handled crushed finasteride, contact the GP immediately. The risk from skin contact with whole tablets is lower than crushed tablets but should still be assessed.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can women take finasteride?
Finasteride is contraindicated in women who are or may become pregnant. It causes genital malformations in male fetuses.
Can pregnant women handle finasteride tablets?
Whole tablets can be handled with care. Crushed or broken tablets must not be touched — the drug is absorbed through skin and can harm a male fetus.
My partner takes finasteride — can it affect our baby?
Finasteride is present in semen in very small amounts. No human malformation cases have been reported from paternal use, though a theoretical risk has prompted some to recommend condoms in pregnancy.
Does finasteride affect female fertility?
Finasteride is not indicated for women in any licensed context except in post-menopausal women (off-label) where pregnancy is not a concern.