Is male fertility affected at an advanced age?
The fertility of older men has always been a concern. With the changes of the times, more and more men choose to have children later, but will they be affected by age? This article will elaborate on the influence of male fertility at an advanced age from four aspects: physiology, genetics, psychology and lifestyle.
Physiological aspects
From a physiological point of view, male fertility does decline with age. According to medical research, the quality and quantity of male sperm will gradually decrease after middle age. The vitality, morphology and DNA integrity of sperm will also be affected. An experiment was carried out in a Swedish hospital. The results showed that the quality and quantity of sperm of men over 40 years old decreased by more than 30% compared with men under 20 years old. This shows that men's advanced age does affect their fertility.
In addition, older men also increase some risks at birth. For example, the study found that compared with young fathers, children of older fathers are at increased risk of autism, schizophrenia and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. This is mainly because when men are old, the rate of chromosomal abnormalities in sperm will increase, leading to an increased risk of chromosomal abnormalities.
Therefore, from a physiological point of view, older men do have a certain impact on fertility.
Genetic aspects
The old age of men also affects the genetic quality of their offspring. The study found that the risk of some gene mutations increases with the father's age. These mutations may lead to an increased risk of genetic diseases when genes are passed on to the next generation.
A study conducted in Sweden shows that children whose fathers are older than 35 are more likely to suffer from autism, schizophrenia and mental retardation. This is because when men are old, they are more likely to accumulate gene mutations in sperm. Therefore, the elderly male fertility will indeed have an impact on the genetic quality of the next generation.
In addition, the old age of men will also increase the risk of children suffering from certain familial diseases. If the male carries the gene of hereditary disease, the children born later will also face the risk of disease. Therefore, genetic risks need to be carefully considered when considering elder childbearing.
Psychological aspects
In addition to physiological and genetic effects, the elderly male fertility may also have an impact on the psychology of fathers and children. Men who give birth late may face greater pressure and anxiety. They may feel more worried about their children's future and may lack the experience of growing up together with their children.
In addition, the problem of intergenerational gap may also be caused by the elderly male childbearing. The older a father is, the greater the age gap between him and his children, which may lead to a generation gap. Fathers may not understand their children's interests and needs, and communication with their children becomes difficult.
Therefore, the elderly male childbearing will not only have an impact on the father's own psychology, but also on the relationship with children.
Lifestyle
Finally, the impact of older male childbearing may also be related to lifestyle. As men grow older, they may face more health problems, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity. These health problems may affect fertility.
In addition, men's lifestyle will also have an impact on fertility. Bad habits such as unhealthy diet, lack of exercise, smoking and drinking may damage the quality and quantity of sperm. Therefore, the impact of male elderly childbearing may be related to individual lifestyle.
Summary
The fertility of older men is affected by many aspects such as physiology, heredity, psychology and lifestyle. From the physiological point of view, male fertility declines with age, and increases some risks at birth. The influence of heredity shows that the old age of male fertility has certain influence on the genetic quality of offspring. The psychological impact is manifested in the increased psychological pressure of fathers and children and the emergence of intergenerational gap. In addition, male elder childbearing may also be related to individual lifestyle.
