long term effects of finasteride

[propaNe]

hello, a question about long term effects of finasteride. i read an fda talk paper from 1997 that stated the fda has approved finasteride for men's hairloss.

 

in that same paper it suggests that pregnant women should not come in contact with finasteride. how can the same drug that is "safe" for men be unsafe for pregnant women?

 

is there any information on the long term effects of this drug. ten year period, twenty?

[propaNe]

hello, a question about long term effects of finasteride. i read an fda talk paper from 1997 that stated the fda has approved finasteride for men's hairloss.

 

in that same paper it suggests that pregnant women should not come in contact with finasteride. how can the same drug that is "safe" for men be unsafe for pregnant women?

 

is there any information on the long term effects of this drug. ten year period, twenty?

[Teddw2ds]

I can't speak to the long term affects, ie ten or twenty years. I don't think anyone can since the product has not been available that long. But as for your question:

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>how can the same drug that is "safe" for men be unsafe for pregnant women?

 

That is because finasteride alters the production and metabolization of testosterone, both in males and females. It is not dangerous directly to either male or female... it is dangerous to the gestating fetus however. A baby needs a very delicate and precise balance of hormones in order to ensure normal development of the sexual organs. If a pregnant woman comes in contact with finasteride, the alterations in her hormone levels will cause deformities in the childs sex organs. Very bad news indeed for the child... but it's still not directly harmful to the woman herself.