RESEARCH - Effect of methotrexate on male fertility

[Guest guest]

Can Fam Physician. 2003 May; 49: 577–578.

Effect of methotrexate on male fertility.

Amy E. French, Gideon Koren, and Motherisk Team

Motherisk Team at Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Ontario

Abstract

QUESTION: Several men with psoriatic arthritis have asked whether the

methotrexate they take for rheumatoid arthritis will affect their

fertility or the outcome of any of their partners' future pregnancies.

What is known regarding risks to fertility and to fetuses?

ANSWER: To date, there are no reports of adverse pregnancy outcomes

among men exposed to methotrexate before conception. Opinions in the

literature differ on the effects of methotrexate on male fertility.

Several case reports and studies report no effect; others report

reversible sterility. One limitation to several of these studies is

the concurrent administration of other chemotherapeutic agents. Small

studies reporting on methotrexate use with no other agents suggest no

increased infertility. Motherisk is currently following men who are

taking methotrexate alone for psoriatic arthritis to see whether it

affects fertility.

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Read the rest of the article here:

http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?tool=pubmed & pubmedid=1279026\

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Not an MD