As with women after they reach 41, the fertility of men also starts declining rapidly at about this age. In fact, research showed that the fertility of men declines by nearly 7 percent for every year from 41 to 45, and after that the decline becomes even more rapid. This research was done in fertility clinics where the ages of the fathers and the successful pregnancies via IVF (in vitro fertilization) performed at different ages of the fathers were studied.
All the pregnancies included in the research were performed with donor eggs from young and healthy women, so the factor affecting the success rate of the pregnancies was the father’s sperm, and namely his age.
The research found that the average age of the father of most unsuccessful IVF’s was 45. In fact, the study found that the chances of a successful IVF and a pregnancy occurring fell from 60% at the age of 41 of the father to a mere 35% for men aged 45.
This sort of busts the myth that men can become fathers at any age they want. True, it is possible, but the facts show that there is a rapid decline of fertility with aging not only in women but in men too.
This means that men who wait to have kids after 45 may have a hard time conceiving, it may take longer, and unfortunately with older parents, there is a much greater risk of miscarriage and health problems for the child at a later point. Studies show that children with older fathers are at a higher risk of being born with heart defects, epilepsy, schizophrenia, autism, and shockingly are twice as likely to die before the age of 20 as compared to children with younger fathers.
The problem with the fertility and aging is that the reproductive system as well as the whole metabolism becomes slower, so the production of healthy sperm can become more difficult as men age. Also, certain genetic defects can actually occur in sperm as the man gets older.
Other fertility experts have claimed that even with aging, the sperm can be “corrected” at the fertility clinics, and that the egg is actually what counts for a successful IVF.
Of course, men who are planning to become fathers after 40 are advised to lead a healthy lifestyle, exercise, stay in shape, eat healthily, and refrain from smoking and from illicit drug or alcohol abuse, in order to keep their sperm production at normal levels.
Men who are planning on procreating may want to give a natural boost to their sperm production and sexual performance by taking some herbal natural supplements such as Conceive for Him or XtraCum, for example. They are all-natural, over-the-counter supplements and contain herbs and vitamins which have a proven positive effect on the reproductive system and the sexual functioning of men. They have no side effects and are easily available without the need of a prescription or a visit to the doctor.
Men must be cautioned that if they are already taking prescription fertility drugs, then the use of these supplements may interfere with their effect and can even cause an overdose.
The reasons for the more cases of men who become fathers for the first time at an older age these days, is the fact that women have also chosen to delay motherhood to a more mature age.
While in the 1970’s the majority of men had already become fathers before the age of 35, today 25% of the men are still not parents by the age of 35, and there is a growing tendency of men who choose to become fathers in their 50’s as well.
The fact is that the peak of sperm count is between the ages of 30 to 35. The lowest sperm quantity has been found in men over 55. The sperm motility is established to be at its peak before the age of 25 and lowest after 55. In fact it is an average of 54% lower then. Though the studies are not absolutely positive that age is the only factor affecting the motility of the sperm, some scientists claim that another possible cause for lowered sperm motility at an older age could be the sexual abstinence or lesser frequencies of sexual intercourse, which many men over 50 experience.
What is more worrying though, is that not only the count and the ability of the sperm to swim lowers with age, but so does the genetic quality of the sperm, which makes the risk of miscarriage greater, as well as the risk of birth defects in children higher as well.
So, the bottom line is that in order to prevent problems when trying to conceive and to reduce the risk of your wife or partner miscarrying and giving birth to a baby with birth defects, you should choose to have a child at an earlier time, or keep yourself healthy and active after 40 in order to decrease the negative effect age has on sperm production and fertility.
- Herbal Remedies that Can Help Increase Your Chances of Getting Pregnant
- Tips for Improving Your Chances of Conception
- Some of the Lesser Known Reasons for Problems with Conception
- How important is sperm count for fertility?
- Obesity Can Cause Infertility and Sexual Dysfunctions in Men
