January 2015 in “International journal of reproduction, contraception, obstetrics and gynecology”
Women with PCOS often have irregular periods, a higher chance of infertility and miscarriages, and may improve fertility with lifestyle changes and treatment.
Dutasteride may cause chronic infertility by reducing semen volume and motility, with concerns about irreversible prostate fibrosis. Users consider switching to finasteride or using treatments like minoxidil and microneedling, weighing hair preservation against fertility.
Spironolactone and finasteride are not recommended for women planning pregnancy due to birth defect risks. Both need to be stopped months before conception, and finasteride is generally not advised for women.
A transgender woman experienced significant hair regrowth after 18 months of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) with estrogen and bicalutamide. The discussion notes HRT's effectiveness for hair regrowth but warns against its use for cisgender men due to feminizing effects.
Dutasteride treatment may decrease sperm concentration, but levels remain above WHO recommendations and recover after discontinuation. The study has limitations, including small sample size and lack of pre-treatment sperm data, and does not assess other fertility factors.
Dutasteride and finasteride may temporarily affect semen quality but are unlikely to cause permanent infertility. The Kim et al. study is criticized for poor methodology, and many prefer hair retention over potential fertility concerns, using treatments like dutasteride, finasteride, and minoxidil.