Reproductive Risks of Aging Sperm

The reproductive clock is ticking, and the ticking clock isn’t only relevant to women. Men too have to consider the fact that the longer they put off starting a family there are risks. Those risks run the gamut of infertility, to genetic abnormalities such as Downs Syndrome, to a higher risk of their children developing schizophrenia.

Aging men have aging sperm.

Aging sperm equates to a decrease in fertility. As published in the 2004 issue of the American Journal of Gynecology, research showed that a man’s chances of fathering a child decrease with each passing year. The odds of a successful pregnancy fell by 11% per year and the chance for a successful live birth declined even farther.

Aging sperm increases the risk of genetic abnormalities. In the June 2003 issue of The Journal of Urology, a study of 3,400 cases of Down syndrome was done and found the incidence was related to sperm 50% of the time. The father’s age played a significant role when both parents were over 35 at the time of conception.

Aging sperm raises the chance for mental illness. Children born to older men also run a higher risk of developing schizophrenia. Men between the ages of 45 to 49 were twice as likely to have children with schizophrenia, as were men 25 and younger. That risk tripled for men over the age of 50. These results came from a sampling of 85,000 people as reported in the 2001 issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry.

Who are the oldest celebrity men to father children? Who are the two oldest at 67 years old? Find out by listening to my podcast: Risks of Aging Sperm; Flirting Red Flags; Calm Nervousness & Panic

Excerpts for this blog were taken from “Age Raises Infertility Risk in Men, Too” on webmd.