If you are pregnant you must never take this medicine, as it can cause severe and even life-threatening defects affecting the child’s brain, heart and lungs. Every woman of child-bearing potential (any female that can possible become pregnant) is supposed to sign a special agreement under iPLEDGE program. Under this agreement the woman promises to use at least 2 reliable birth control methods to avoid getting pregnant throughout the entire period of using Accutane. One primary and one secondary birth protection methods will need to be used throughout the entire period of the treatment, as well as before and after it. Primary methods of birth control that you will probably be recommended include intrauterine device, birth control pills containing estrogen, hormonal birth control patches, implants etc, vasectomy, or tubal ligation. Secondary methods available can be vaginal sponge, diaphragm, male latex condom, cervical cap - all that used in combination with spermicidal gel to lower the risk of a conception, and some other ones. Your doctor will provide you with more details on which methods are most reliable and suitable for you. Make sure you follow al the recommendations to avoid severe birth defects on your baby. You will need to have a negative pregnancy test 30 days before starting the treatment, during the treatment and after taking the last dose of Accutane. Since this medicine is quite dangerous if used by people unaware of possible serious health effects, it’s recommended to talk to a qualified health care professional before you start using it for your acne or any other condition you are trying to treat. The following medical conditions may make it unsafe for you to be taking this medicine and you are supposed to tell your health care provider about them: eating disorder, diabetes, asthma, bone disorders, high cholesterol, a history of mental illness, a history of depression, and heart disease. Only if a woman has no ovaries (following a surgery) or has been on a menopause for over a year, she is considered to be of child bearing potential and will be monitored very carefully by the doctor. There is not sufficient information on whether this drug can pass into breast milk. Make sure you always tell your health care provider if you need to be breastfeeding while using Accutane. Men using Accutane also need to be very careful and use a condom and a spermicide when having sex, as Accutane can pass into sperm and affect the unborn baby that way. Please talk to your doctor about any contraindications you have for using this medicine and do not start taking it until your doctor says it’s okay. You will need to show up for regular appointments every month for your blood to be tested and your condition to be monitored, so make sure you do not skip those visits and show up for each one of them. It’s important that you are ready to take Accutane and do everything as told by your health care provider, as otherwise your treatment will be unsuccessful and all the effort will be in vain.