In recent times, couples are delaying childbearing due to social, financial or professional reasons. There is a known decline in fertility with age, though more crucial in women, but also prevalent in men.
Beyond the fact that older men will have older female partners, increasing age in men is associated with a longer time taken to conceive. In a study, natural conception in men during a 12 month period was 30% less if the male was above age 40, possibly due to changing sexual function (decreased frequency of coitus, erectile dysfunction) or medical conditions in the ageing male.
There is a fall in sperm count, poor motility and abnormal morphology as men age.
In addition, a study determined that a father’s age has a significant impact on the risk of miscarriage, and the child’s health and development. There could be increased chances of cleft lip or palate, heart defects, autism, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
However, with advances in medical technology, such as assisted reproductive techniques like in vitro fertilisation (IVF) or sperm donation, older men can still become biological fathers.
What is Sperm preservation?
Sperm preservation, also known as sperm cryopreservation(freezing) or sperm banking, is a process of freezing and storing sperm cells to be used later. The sample is collected by masturbation and cooled to very low temperatures and can be stored in liquid nitrogen as long as needed. It has been done for years, mainly for men who are about to undergo medical treatments that may pose a risk to their fertility, such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or surgery affecting the reproductive organs.
It can also help men with genetic conditions, before vasectomy, or for individuals in high-risk occupations (e.g. military) where there is a possibility of fertility impairment. The sperms can be stored for decades and can be thawed when needed when their motility and viability is ascertained.
Sperms may undergo damage during the freezing and thawing process but the survival rate of 85% for frozen sperm has been reported, and it doesn’t affect the clinical outcome significantly. The success of using frozen sperm for fertility treatments depends on various factors like the quality of the sperm sample at the time of preservation, the technique used for assisted reproduction(IUI, IVF or ICSI), and the individual’s overall fertility health.
Research shows that IUI with frozen sperm may slightly reduce the success rate from 21% to 16%. In IVF and ICSI, studies did not demonstrate any significant decrease in pregnancy rates when frozen sperms were used.
Besides this, on a personal front, it is also important for a man to consider his overall health and energy levels, and longevity when contemplating fatherhood at a late age like 80.
Raising a child requires a long-term commitment and one needs to assess if they will be able to provide the necessary care and support throughout your child’s life. Bringing up a child not only requires physical stamina, but also has emotional and psychological demands, a strong support system and financial implications. Eventually, an open and honest communication with the child about the parents’ age and any potential limitations should be carried out for their understanding and acceptance.