When we think of fertility issues we typically think of women as being the ones with the problem, especially older women. But what about older men? We hear a lot about men fathering kids in their sixties and beyond (Tyler’s father was 57 when I conceived). A resent study says that as men age they also have diminished fertility.
In the study, 1,938 couples from 59 in vitro fertilization clinics in France were studied. The researchers found that for women between the age of 35 and 37 who were trying to have a baby with a man older than 40, the pregnancy success rate was about half the rate found in women in the same age group who were trying to conceive with a man under 40.
In another study of European couples, there was a three times increase in the rate of conceiving after 12 months of attempting to get pregnant, for women ages 35 to 39 and men 40 and older, as compared to the same age group of women and younger men.
In addition to fertility issues, older men are more likely to father kids with autism and the risk of spontaneous abortions increase when the father is over 40 and the mother is over 35.
So if you are trying to conceive with an older partner and are having trouble, know that the women’s fertility may not be the only risk factor in whether you are able to conceive.
In related news, mid-life moms take heart. A new study finds that women who give birth in their fifties are just as healthy (physically and emotionally) as women who start families earlier. The study investigates the parenting experiences of older women who received IVF. The study found that these moms were able to cope with the stress of motherhood just as well as women who have their children when they are younger. The study was conducted by the University of Southern California and was presented at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine conference held this week in New Orleans.
See also:
Good News For Older Women Trying to Conceive Acupuncture May Boost Fertility
Should Partners of Women Of Advanced Maternal Age Attend Genetic Counseling Sessions?
Study Says Older Moms Live Longer