Q: I have been finasteride for several years. My wife and I are currently trying to conceive our first child and it is unclear to me if it is safe to continue taking finasteride during this period. Unfortunately, I have not been able to get a clear position via the Internet. Most people commenting on it are on blogs and the response goes both ways — some say it’s ok, others say stop. While I know that it’s imperative that a pregnant woman not touch the medicine, can you please let me know if I can continue taking the medicine while trying to conceive? — M.K., Edgeworth, PA

A: It is OK for you to continue finasteride while your wife is trying to conceive. However, there is some data to suggest that it may slightly decrease fertility since, by shrinking the prostate (the prostate produces 25-30% of semen volume) it slightly changes the overall composition of semen. These effects appear to be temporary and finasteride has no direct effect on sperm. If you and your wife were to have difficulty conceiving, at that point is might be reasonable to temporarily discontinue the medication.