Doctors from Cornell Medical Center in New York, USA, wanted to examine any potiential effect of antidepressant medication on male fertility, so they gave 35 men the drug Peroxetine (brand names Seroxat and Paxil) for five weeks.
Standard examination with a microscope showed that sperm samples from the men appeared to be normal, but closer inspection of the sperm using a technique called the TUNEL method, which examines the ends of DNA structures, showed that the DNA was fragmented.
Over 30% of sperm showed fragmented DNA as opposed to only 13% prior to the men taking the drug.
Fertility specialists regard a result of 30% DNA damage as clinically significant and a man with this score would be diagnosed as having a fertility problem. A 13% rate is considered a normal result, indicating average fertility.
This is worrying to researchers, as it could indicate that antidepressants may be responsible for the rise in male factor infertility. Up to 5% of men in America are currently taking antidepressants and in Australia, there are a staggering 12 million prescriptions given for antidepressants every year. Increasing numbers of people are experiencing depression and health care professionals are becoming more indiscriminate in the way they handle cases of depression. Drugs that were once only given in severe, life threatening cases are now given in more mild cases and for ordinary life stressors.
This is bad news for babies as sperm with fragmented DNA has been shown to produce babies with birth defects and disabilities and now in light of this additional research, it may hamper conception altogether.
Antidepressants are also known to cause other problems like erectile dysfunction, inability to reach orgasm and a lowered or non-existent sex drive, all of which are vital for a man if he wishes to start a family.
Douglas Carrell, a fertility specialist at the university of Utah, said 'I think a lot of us around the world have had data that points in this direction and we have been suspicious.'
He suggests that men who are taking antidepressants who wish to become fathers, should speak to their doctors. It may be possible to switch to a different medication with less risks, or in milder cases of depression, cease the drug with medical supervision.
GlaxoSmithKline, the drug company that makes Seroxat (Paxil), said they did not fund the study and therefore would have to study it before they could comment. However, this preliminary finding is more significant because it hasn't been funded by manufacturers. If a company is set to profit from the sale of a drug, they should not finance studies into whether it is safe, as these may then have bias.
I want a baby and I'm taking Paxil. What Should I do?
- Consider postponing having a baby until you are recovered. In addition to the risks to fertility, depression may continue after the birth of a baby as babies are a major stress factor.
- If you have mild depression and are not yet taking medications, consider alternative treatments such as counselling and relaxation.
- Never stop your medication without supervision. This may be dangerous. If you wish to stop taking medication, do it under guidance from your doctor.
- Speak to your doctor about changing your drug or the amount you are given, as this may make a difference to sperm quality.
Source: The New Scientist, issue 2675, September 2008.
 |
