Good news for fathers-to-be

Men with rheumatoid arthritis who take low doses of methotrexate may be reassured by new research that shows they have no increased risk of negative pregnancy outcome. 

Methotrexate is associated with malformations in unborn children of women who take the drug. Published in Rheumatology, a study involving 113 pregnancies fathered by men who were treated with low-dose methotrexate around conception looked at incidence of major birth defects, spontaneous abortion, gestational age at delivery and birth weight.

Neither the rate of major birth defects or the risk of spontaneous abortion was increased. Age of baby at delivery and birth weights did not differ significantly between groups either.

“Our study does not confirm an increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcome after paternal low-dose methotrexate therapy,” the researchers say. “The reassuring findings do not support the necessity of a 3-month methotrexate-free interval until conception. In the case of unavoidable paternal methotrexate therapy, it seems reasonable not to postpone family planning.”

To read the original research visit http://rheumatology.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2013/12/24/rheumatology.ket390.