Paternal Exposure to Accutane
Agents that cause
birth defects do not reach the developing fetus through the father as they do
from the pregnant woman. Substances that a father is exposed to may be
found in small amounts in the semen, but there is no evidence that these small
amounts interfere with normal fetal development.
One study was located that monitored spermatogenesis in 20
young men who were treated with isotretinoin for 6 months. No negative
effects were detected. A transient increase in sperm density was noted
after 4 months of treatment. Sperm density returned to pretreatment levels
when subjects were tested one year after concluding treatment with
isotretinoin. In an isolated case report, a male treated with isotretinoin
for cystic acne developed ejaculatory failure after 3 weeks at 1 mg/kg.
This effect was reversed once the drug was stopped. Currently, more information
is needed to investigate the potential teratogenicity of a paternal exposure to
isotretinoin, but at this time paternal exposures are not found to increase the
risk.