What is the long time side effect for the use of steroid?

I have been on prednisolone for 15 years. I haven't been able to father a child since I got married in 2005. Does that mean I am infertile?

Our Expert's Answer

This information was published 12 years, 7 months ago and was correct at the time of publication. It may not reflect our current practices or regulations.

Please note that all the answers we give are on a generic basis only, as we cannot provide more in-depth answers without access to your medical history. If you need a more detailed response, tailored to you, we would recommend a consultation with one of our Fertility Specialists for more comprehensive medical advice.

There is very little evidence of any harmful effect on male fertility from steroids used therapeutically but if there is any effect it may depend upon the length of time that these are taken for and their dose. This is not the case when anabolic steroids are used recreationally where there is direct evidence of suppression of sperm production, which can be irreversible. I would suggest that you get a semen analysis done to see whether sperm production is going on and then ask for a referral to a fertility expert with an interest in male factor problems who will probably want to run some further tests dependent upon what your semen analysis shows.