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Tamoxifen dangerous during pregnancy?

Page last modified on: September 17, 2008
Question from SusannaL: How can tamoxifen be used as a fertility treatment? It increases ovulation, but is dangerous to the fetus -- all at the same time? How can that be?
Answer —Kutluk Oktay, M.D.: Tamoxifen, just like its cousin the infertility drug Clomid (chemical name: clomiphene), is used to induce ovulation in women prior to pregnancy. And thus, because they're not used once the patient ovulates and discontinues before the pregnancy, there's no risk of exposure of the drug to the fetus. There's no significant risk. Tiny amounts of the drug may still be present once pregnancy occurs -- or during the first few days of pregnancy -- but there's no evidence it causes an increased risk of birth defects. While tamoxifen should not be used during pregnancy, there have been very few birth defects reported in women who accidentally took tamoxifen while pregnant. Thus, if there is a risk, it is probably very small.

On Wednesday, September 10, 2008, our Ask-the-Expert Online Conference was called Fertility and Pregnancy. Kutluk Oktay, M.D. and Leslie Schover, Ph.D. answered your questions about breast cancer treatments that can affect your fertility, options for preserving your fertility, being treated for breast cancer while pregnant, and more.

The materials presented in these conferences do not necessarily reflect the views of breastcancer.org. A qualified healthcare professional should be consulted before using any therapeutic product or regimen discussed. All readers should verify all information and data before employing any therapies described here.

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Meet the Experts

Kutluk Oktay, M.D.Kutluk Oktay, M.D. is a professor of Obstetrics & Gynecology and the director of the Division of Reproductive Medicine & Infertility at New York Medical College.

Leslie R. Schover, Ph.D.Leslie R. Schover, Ph.D. is a renowned psychologist with a special interest in helping people resolve or manage their sexual problems, especially those problems connected with a chronic illness such as cancer.

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