Jarrod Ward
Tai Clinic International Hospital
Chief Expert, Ph.D., University of California School of Medicine, USA
Dr. Jarod Ward is the Chief Specialist of the China-Israel Cooperation Clinic International Hospital, Ph.D. of the University of California School of Medicine, specializing in physical therapy and cell therapy, and has accumulated extensive experience in assisted reproduction in the treatment of Progeria of the Ovaries.
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A man in his 50s asked, "Will it be a problem for a man to have children when he gets old?" ”
Women's fertility is affected by age, after the age of 35, their fertility and physical functions began to decline, and it is much more difficult for older women than young women because of long-term biological, environmental, social, psychological, behavioral and other risk factors. During pregnancy, the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes such as birth defects and complications during pregnancy is significantly increased.
So what is the impact of men's advanced age on fertility?
To answer this question, the first thing we need to figure out is, what is the definition of advanced age for men? Women over 35 years of age are considered to be of advanced age, while advanced age for men is not yet defined. Based on the results of age-related studies on spermatogenesis and changes in fertility, the advanced age of men was determined to be > 40 years. Male sperm quality and fertility decline with age, and the risk of abnormalities in their offspring increases with age. Although age doesn't affect men as much as women, we should still pay attention to this issue.
Sperm quality decreases
Semen volume, sperm motility (including forward moving sperm), decreased normal sperm morphology, increased DNA fragmentation rate. In particular, the ratio of forward active sperm and DNA fragments, these two indicators, deserve more attention from older men.
If you are still pregnant after 12 months of non-contraceptive sex, you should have an infertility test, including a semen analysis.
Fertility rates are declining
Surveys have shown that men's age is associated with the time it takes for women to conceive and a reduction in pregnancy rates. Men over the age of 40 are more than 30% less likely to conceive within 12 months than men under the age of 30 (age adjusted).
For men over the age of 45, it makes women pregnant 5 times longer than men under the age of 25. Another study on Uterine AIF found that husband's age was the most important factor contributing to the decline in the chances of pregnancy.
Decreased sexual function and frequency of sex
As they age, men's sexual function declines and their sexual desire decreases significantly.
The number of sexual activities and sexual function are important factors affecting the time of pregnancy and the rate of pregnancy, and the chance of pregnancy is naturally reduced with less intercourse.
Nevertheless, this change does not affect sperm, and if it is really impossible to complete the task, it can also be conceived with the help of assisted reproductive technology.
The impact on the child
Changes in DNA integrity, point mutation, telomere length, neo mutation rate, chromosomal structure, apoptosis and progenitor factors of sperm will lead to an increase in autosomal dominant mutations, cartilage dysplasia, Marfang syndrome and other diseases. And the risk of fetal autosomal aneuploidy is also increased, although this risk is not as high as in older women.
In addition, high reproductive age in men is also associated with naturally occurring X-linked gene variants (e.g., hemophilia A and pseudoe-hypertrophic dystrophy) and certain congenital anomalies (e.g., neural tube defects, cardiac defects, limb defects, etc.).
In addition, multiple studies have shown that men with advanced reproductive age have an increased risk of developing schizophrenia. As childbearing age increases, the earlier male children develop symptoms. Dads have a 10-year-old increase in fertility and a 21 percent increase in a child's risk of developing autism. A study involving more than 130,000 couples found that men over the age of 40 had a 4.75 times higher risk of autism than men under the age of 30.
And for a 50-year-old man, if he wants children, he needs to assess the woman's fertility, because the woman's age has a greater impact on fertility. Although studies have shown that increasing reproductive age in men affects pregnancy outcomes, this effect is relatively small. So a man's age has no effect on most couples' fertility decisions. However, considering that men's advanced age has a certain impact on fertility, it is still recommended that you weigh the pros and cons and choose an age suitable for you.