Wait 6 months after Accutane to have a baby

Question

Hi so I have a question. When I read the ipledge brochure. It says not to get pregnant one month after the last dose, but why does my Dr's request that I don't get pregnant until after 6 months of being off the medication. I read that Accutane doesn't stay long in the system but why are my Dr saying for me to wait 6 months. Is there any accurate time or when the medication will be out of the system? I think it'll be okay to try for a baby now since it's been over 4 months since i been off the medication.

Faiyaaz Kalimullah, MD, FAAD · Answer

This is an excellent question.  Studies have shown that the washout period for isotretinoin (Accutane) can vary quite significantly between patients.  In the "average" patient, isotretinoin can no longer be detected in the blood after approximately 1 week.  However, slower metabolizers have been shown to require up to 3 times as long to clear isotretinoin from their systems, and there are even rare case reports of possibly related birth defects up to 1 month after stopping treatment.  Your dermatologist is being very safe in recommending waiting 6 months, however, at 4 months out your risk is probably minimal.  Best of luck!

Wait 6 months after Accutane to have a baby

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