Does a man's age affect fertility treatments?

Women tend to be more knowledgeable about the impact of their age on childbearing, but this issue often goes unnoticed by men. However, it is important to remember that men also have a biological clock, and just like women, they experience a decline in fertility over time. So how does a man's age affect his fertility and assisted reproductive treatments?

A man’s age and natural fertility

Data suggests that the average time for a man 25 years of age or younger to conceive is about 4 months. However, this probability decreases significantly with age. For example, for a man over 40, the average time to conceive can extend to 2 years or even longer. If he reaches the age of 45, this figure increases fivefold. It is important to note that these estimates refer specifically to natural conception.

Unlike women, men continue to produce sperm throughout their entire lives, unless they experience a specific health problem or injury. However, the quality of their semen may deteriorate with age. Over time, changes in semen analysis and an increase in sperm oxidation can be observed, which decreases the ability of their sperm to fertilize.

That said, a man's age does not have a direct impact on his fertility, but it certainly can influence the quality of his sperm, which can potentially have negative repercussions:

- Conception may take longer
- Sperm quality tends to decrease, in particular sperm concentration and motility
- It is more likely that there will be abnormalities in the sperm DNA
- The risk of miscarriages and birth defects in babies increases

Therefore, the older a man gets, the longer it will likely take for him to conceive naturally. This delay can be attributed, at least in part, to the fact that older men are often more prone to developing chronic diseases, such as diabetes, being overweight, and having high blood pressure, which can affect their fertility.

In addition, as men age, they may face other reproduction-related problems, such as reduced libido and/or erectile dysfunction, which can make natural conception more difficult.

Recent studies have also pointed out that a man's age is associated with a higher incidence of chromosomal abnormalities in sperm. These abnormalities can lead to fertility problems, miscarriages and the transmission of genetic diseases to the offspring.

How does a man’s age affect assisted reproduction treatments?

Although men do not go through menopause like women and they do retain their ability to conceive throughout their lives, their fertility is still affected by age. However, with the various assisted reproductive techniques available today, most problems related to male infertility can be successfully addressed.

Applying techniques such as Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) has led to a remarkable reduction in cases of male infertility. Even in situations of low motility and morphological abnormalities, ICSI offers the possibility of achieving pregnancy in the majority of cases of male infertility.

According to a recent study published in the journal Reproductive Biology, men's age does not influence the outcome of in vitro fertilization treatments as much as that of women. The study also notes that a man's age does not significantly affect the rate of pregnancy or live births. However, a notable deterioration in sperm analysis is observed.

Likewise, a man's age can influence the quality of the embryos generated in fertility treatments, although its impact on pregnancy rates is considerably lower compared to that of women in terms of achieving pregnancy.

Becoming a father after 40

It is increasingly common for men over the age of 45 to want to become fathers, and this is driven by a variety of reasons:

- They have prioritized professional or personal goals, thus postponing fatherhood
- They have established new romantic relationships, which implies the possibility of having new partners
- They had not found the right partner up until that moment

However, as men age, the quality of their sperm tends to decline, even if they retain the ability to have children throughout their lives. Fertility clinics, such as Reproclinic, usually recommend in vitro fertilization with PGD or PGS, depending on the age of both the father and the mother.

Prior to the implantation, the embryos are biopsied in order to carry out a genetic study. This analysis determines whether the cells have the normal number of chromosomes, which would allow the embryo to be transferred, or whether any chromosomal abnormality is present, which would make them ineligible for the transfer. This technique allows us to maximize the odds of a child with no genetic diseases.

In summary, although the age of the man does not have such a significant impact on fertility treatments, it does play an important role in their ability to conceive naturally.