Male pasient and possibilities for a baby

[Kitekite]

I have a question about whether it is possible for male GPA patient to have healthy sperm and can make a healthy baby. I read about female patients and giving birth, but never found any clue about male patient who wants to be a father.

My husband was diagnosed with GPA last June. He has been taking medicine and it seems he is getting better. We are married three years and we really want a baby. We have been trying three months now and I keep wondering wether GPA male have ever successfully made a woman pregnant and give birth to a healthy baby.

I understand that hospitals use different medicines and different treatments can lead to different results. But have you ever heard/ seen/known successful story about baby or healthy baby that was born with GPA diagnosed father?

Looking forward to hearing from you. Thank you very much in advance.

[Alysia]

Yes. I know about a lady from my country, who's husband sufferes from WG, she got pregnant (not planned) and delievered a perfectly healthy baby.
I suggest you to consult with experts about the medications that he takes. I think that Imuran should be ok. Although in the case of that lady, her husband was on mtx.

[Kitekite]

Thank you so much for your reply! After he was diagnosed with GPA, I read a lot online. Before the doctors give him medicine, I told him to tell the doctors we want a baby. So I think the doctors are aware of it, and doctors say that pregnancy and baby will not be affected. But I wonder how certain they kan be, because there are so few GPA patients in this country.

I know pregnancy takes time and luck. We have been trying three months and I keep wondering what a chance this can be. I work with people with disabilities and quite worried about medical impact on a baby. So I post my questions here.

Thank you for your message and I think positive now.

[Bing505z]

I have a question about whether it is possible for male GPA patient to have healthy sperm and can make a healthy baby. I read about female patients and giving birth, but never found any clue about male patient who wants to be a father.

My husband was diagnosed with GPA last June. He has been taking medicine and it seems he is getting better. We are married three years and we really want a baby. We have been trying three months now and I keep wondering wether GPA male have ever successfully made a woman pregnant and give birth to a healthy baby.

I understand that hospitals use different medicines and different treatments can lead to different results. But have you ever heard/ seen/known successful story about baby or healthy baby that was born with GPA diagnosed father?

Looking forward to hearing from you. Thank you very much in advance.


I am a success story and I will give you the details. If you want, you can private message me because I do realize these are sensitive questions. I am not here to tell you of someone I know, this is my story. I see the vasculitis society focused on women when it comes to this subject, and I had men ask me personal questions to which I can give some guidance from experience. I was told I would not be able to have children with my wife after my treatments, and others have told me that their doctors told them the same. I will tell you that it is not the case for everyone and there is hope, but I do realize not everyone will be successful. It took my wife and I a little more than two years to become pregnant after my treatment and recovery and our baby boy is very healthy and advanced at 15 months now. I was diagnosed in January 2014, and I received one month of cyclophosphamide and prednisone. I was taken off those drugs and then treated with Rituxan. Later in the year when I followed up my doctor I told him I felt great. I believe sexual function/activity and quality of life are connected. If I feel good in life, things are good, well so is my sexual activity/health, it will be at top level quality and priority. It does not matter for me if I am at 40, or 50, or 60, or 70, or 80 years old, sexual health and activity is important to me and I will continue to father children. I am a man plain and simple. My doctor was on the same page and the first thing he asked me when I was in recovery was “Are you sexually active?” to measure or get the idea if you will, where my health, quality of life was. We discussed having more children and he referred me to a urologist who specialized in treating men who went through cancer treatments. First thing was to test my sperm count, and I suggest your husband have his checked if you have not already done so (and I suggest to other men if you are going to begin treatment, just like with cancer treatment, you need to make a deposit with a fertility clinic so they can freeze your guys for later use), and mine was ZERO. This urologist told me that when men and women go through treatments (chemo, prednisone especially, etc.) their reproductive systems go into a “protective” mode and shutdown or go to sleep if you will and their systems need to be “waken”. He uses hormone treatments to wake them up, and I was treated and my count was back to near normal levels. The disease is tough to beat, but it can be beat. Fertility problems are tough on relationships also but support each other and seek the right doctors and treatments and you two can beat this also. My warrior's pic:


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[Kitekite]

I have sent a private Message to you. I am very new here and hope my message goes through and reaches you.

[Bing505z]

Got your message :smile1:

[NatriceRomeo]

I have a question about whether it is possible for male GPA patient to have healthy sperm and can make a healthy baby. I read about female patients and giving birth, but never found any clue about male patient who wants to be a father.

My husband was diagnosed with GPA last June. He has been taking medicine and it seems he is getting better. We are married three years and we really want a baby. We have been trying three months now and I keep wondering wether GPA male have ever successfully made a woman pregnant and give birth to a healthy baby.

I understand that hospitals use different medicines and different treatments can lead to different results. But have you ever heard/ seen/known successful story about baby or healthy baby that was born with GPA diagnosed father?

Looking forward to hearing from you. Thank you very much in advance.

I don’t want to be a downer and am reluctant to say this... I knew a woman who’s husband was on methotrexate (for kidney transplant- not GPA and I do not know if this is due to the methotrexate or not. However I do know methotrexate is associated with congenital abnormalities- at one point I was on it). She had 2 kids and both passed away from pulmonary hypertension. [emoji26]. I think it would be smart to speak to your Dr and collect information. I wish you luck!!


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[BenHornsby]

Hay Kitekite,

I had the same concerns, i was diagnosed just after my first born and he is 5 years old now and perfect in every way... I do worry every time he mentions pain...

I also spoke to all my consultants as I wanted to continue my family and they got me to make a deposit at the baby bank and also put me in rituximab for that reason.

I now also have a beautiful 8 month old boy and he was naturally conceived, but not planned ;-) this concerned us both and started asking all the medical advise we could.

It always sits in the back of my head if I have added to the risk of their lives, but I have not read or heard of any links to directly passing it on. But will always have to live in the fear of the unknown.

Ben x


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[Kitekite]

Hei Ben, thank you for your message! I have sent you a private message. Have a nice day!


Hay Kitekite,

I had the same concerns, i was diagnosed just after my first born and he is 5 years old now and perfect in every way... I do worry every time he mentions pain...

I also spoke to all my consultants as I wanted to continue my family and they got me to make a deposit at the baby bank and also put me in rituximab for that reason.

I now also have a beautiful 8 month old boy and he was naturally conceived, but not planned ;-) this concerned us both and started asking all the medical advise we could.

It always sits in the back of my head if I have added to the risk of their lives, but I have not read or heard of any links to directly passing it on. But will always have to live in the fear of the unknown.

Ben x


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[Bing505z]

Hay Kitekite,

I had the same concerns, i was diagnosed just after my first born and he is 5 years old now and perfect in every way... I do worry every time he mentions pain...

I also spoke to all my consultants as I wanted to continue my family and they got me to make a deposit at the baby bank and also put me in rituximab for that reason.

I now also have a beautiful 8 month old boy and he was naturally conceived, but not planned ;-) this concerned us both and started asking all the medical advise we could.

It always sits in the back of my head if I have added to the risk of their lives, but I have not read or heard of any links to directly passing it on. But will always have to live in the fear of the unknown.

Ben x


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One never has to live in fear. Simply does not have to be an option. I referred back to my doctors notes and advice from those at MD Anderson cancer treatment, and both advised not conceiving during treatments, and to wait at least a year after treatment. If one did not want to wait that long they advised deposits, and they advised deposits no matter what based on that most chemo drugs could impact your count permanently. The child's health "could" be impacted while receiving treatments, especially with Rituxan. You can have a healthy child, and say no to living in fear. Does not have to be that way.

[Bing505z]

I don’t want to be a downer and am reluctant to say this... I knew a woman who’s husband was on methotrexate (for kidney transplant- not GPA and I do not know if this is due to the methotrexate or not. However I do know methotrexate is associated with congenital abnormalities- at one point I was on it). She had 2 kids and both passed away from pulmonary hypertension. [emoji26]. I think it would be smart to speak to your Dr and collect information. I wish you luck!!


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Lots of info out there about this drug, and there doctor should have warned them.

Is it safe for a man to use methotrexate whilst attempting to father a child?Methotrexate inhibits the synthesis of DNA and may cause birth defects when taken by women during certain stages of pregnancy.
There have therefore been theoretical concerns that use of methotrexate in men might cause genetic mutations (spelling mistakes in DNA) in sperm that could affect the development of a baby. It takes approximately three months for a sperm to form. Men taking methotrexate are therefore advised not to conceive for six months after stopping methotrexate. This is to allow methotrexate to be cleared from the body and for new sperm to develop in a methotrexate-free environment.
http://www.medicinesinpregnancy.org/Templates/Pages/BumpsPIL.aspx?id=102763&epslanguage=en&print=y

[Bing505z]

If you are male or female thinking about having kids and your doctor tells you need to be on prednisone, have him tell you about the affects.

For men:

http://americanpregnancy.org/getting-pregnant/mens-preconception-health/



Steroids, such as prednisone and cortisone, which are used to treat asthma, arthritis and skin conditions, impact male fertility.
Chemotherapy and radiation could cause sterility or a significant change in sperm quality and quantity


Now for women:

Some doctors actually give prednisone to help women become pregnant, but there can be problems:

For example, suppression of the immune system through inappropriate use of these drugs is linked to impaired placental development, which in turn elevates the risk of miscarriage, preterm birth and birth defects."
Research shows that women taking corticosteroids over the first trimester of pregnancy have a 64% increase in miscarriage; the risk of preterm birth is more than doubled; and their children have an elevated risk of birth defects, including a 3-4 times greater risk of cleft palate.
"Our main message to clinicians and to women hoping to achieve pregnancy is that they should be focused on achieving good-quality pregnancy and the life-time health of the child, not just getting pregnant," Professor Robertson says.
"Corticosteroids such as prednisolone may impair healthy pregnancy, which may lead to poorer long-term outcomes for the baby"


https://www.news-medical.net/news/20160909/Steroids-for-treating-infertility-in-women-may-have-harmful-effects-on-pregnancy-and-child.aspx

[Aneinu]

Hope all is well. We just got the news that it is now being said that one should not engage in fathering children when using cellcept.

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[Kitekite]

Thank you for your reply. We tried over 8 months, but nothing. I actually stopped trying from December because I had doubts. Even when my husband has been reducing medicines and getting so much better, I feel he is still weak. I don’t think a weak father man make a healthy baby. I went to my doctor last November and got referred to specialists. But as usual, it has such a long waiting list in this country and finally in a few weeks time my husband is getting his sperm tested with specialists. And I am going to the women’s apartment for a check in March.

[Aneinu]

Wishing you well. It is a lot to deal with.

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[Bing505z]

Rituxan also, Doc says wait 6 months to year after treatment. If male, before treatment deposit and freeze...you never know how you individually may be impacted. Females ....harvest eggs and freeze..even as a couple do IVF and harvest embryos to save for later and then start treatments. Of course each case may be different and someone may be in an urgent condition needing treatment and you have no time to take measures to protect your fertility. For those not wanting to multiply...it is of no concern.

[Aneinu]

Rituxan also, Doc says wait 6 months to year after treatment. If male, before treatment deposit and freeze...you never know how you individually may be impacted. Females ....harvest eggs and freeze..even as a couple do IVF and harvest embryos to save for later and then start treatments. Of course each case may be different and someone may be in an urgent condition needing treatment and you have no time to take measures to protect your fertility. For those not wanting to multiply...it is of no concern.Thank you. I don't remember seeing that by rtx, but perhaps I missed it. The doctors seemed to say that rtx was an advantage over cytoxin because of this side effect, but perhaps that was on account of causing infertility.

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[Bing505z]

Thank you. I don't remember seeing that by rtx, but perhaps I missed it. The doctors seemed to say that rtx was an advantage over cytoxin because of this side effect, but perhaps that was on account of causing infertility.

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I read a thread on here going back to 2011 and one woman became pregnant soon after completing Rituxan infusion and had a completely healthy baby. She also said she had taken a lot of cytoxan. So it varies from person to person. Rituxan is said to have lower chances of cancer and infertility. Lower. If you read the insert, studies are also described as incomplete. Those studies were also performed on monkeys. Docs says they are not sure of the long term, and with fertility they are not sure and that results can vary. If a Doc says 100% it will do this or that, that Doc is a quack.