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What age is too late to have a baby for a man?

Although most men are able to have children well into their 50s and beyond, it becomes gradually more difficult after the age of 40 . There are many reasons for this, including: Sperm quality tends to decrease with age.

babycentre.co.uk - Dads-to-be: how your age can affect your fertility and your baby's health

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Does my age affect my fertility?

(Harris 2019, NICE 2013)

(Harris 2019)

Sperm quality tends to decrease with age. In particular, the shape (morphology) and movement (motility) of your sperm are both likely to deteriorate as you get older, making it more difficult for them to fertilise an egg (Harris et al 2011, Harris 2019) . You may also produce less sperm as you age. (Harris 2019) . You may also produce less sperm as you age. From about the age of 40, your testosterone levels are likely to decrease (Harris et al 2011) . This may reduce your libido, or make it more difficult for you to have regular sex (Harris 2019) . . This may reduce your libido, or make it more difficult for you to have regular sex . Illnesses that decrease fertility are more common among older men (Harris 2019) . Certain medications for later-life medical problems can also interfere with fertility (Harris et al 2011) . . Certain medications for later-life medical problems can also interfere with fertility . Older men tend to have older partners. Female fertility starts to decline after the age of 30, dropping more sharply after the age of 35. The older your partner, the more difficult it may be to conceive (Harris et al 2011) .

Will it take longer to conceive as I get older?

(Sartorius and Nieschlag 2010, Harris et al 2011)

(Fertility Coalition 2019)

Does my risk of having a baby with genetic problems increase as I age?

(Sartorius and Nieschlag 2010, Harris et al 2011)

Autism spectrum disorder (Harris 2019, Sartorius and Nieschlag 2010)

Schizophrenia (Harris 2019, Sartorius and Nieschlag 2010) , however the risk remains low. , however the risk remains low. Down's syndrome. Your risk of having a baby with Down's syndrome may increase slightly as you age, but only if your partner is over 35 (Sartorius and Nieschlag 2010, Harris et al 2011) . . A certain type of leukemia (Petridou et al 2018) . However, the increased risk is very small and leukemia is still rare among children of older fathers.

(Harris 2019, Sartorius and Nieschlag 2010)

(Harris 2019)

(Sartorius and Nieschlag 2010)

(Sartorius and Nieschlag 2010, Harris et al 2011)

Does my partner’s age affect my own fertility?

(Harris 2019)

(Cozzubbo et al 2014)

What can I do to protect my fertility as I age?

Eat healthily . If you’re very overweight, losing a few pounds is likely to make it easier for you to conceive (NICE 2013, NHS 2017a) . Some studies suggest that a diet rich in antioxidants may also help, though the research for this is less conclusive (Smits et al 2019) . . If you’re very overweight, losing a few pounds is likely to make it easier for you to conceive . Some studies suggest that a diet rich in antioxidants may also help, though the research for this is less conclusive . Stop smoking . Men who smoke tend to have lower-quality semen than non-smokers (NICE 2013) . Plus, if your partner does become pregnant, second-hand smoke will be dangerous for her and the baby. If you smoke, now is the perfect time to quit, to improve your health and protect your family (NHS 2017a, NICE 2013) . . Men who smoke tend to have lower-quality semen than non-smokers . Plus, if your partner does become pregnant, second-hand smoke will be dangerous for her and the baby. If you smoke, now is the perfect time to quit, to improve your health and protect your family . Cut back on alcohol . Drinking excessively can reduce your sperm quality (NICE 2013) . The NHS recommends drinking no more than 14 units of alcohol a week, spread out over at least three days. Try to stay well within these guidelines while you’re trying to conceive. One unit of alcohol is about half a pint of standard-strength beer or a 25ml measure of spirits, while a small (125ml) glass of wine contains 1.5 units (NHS 2017a) . . Drinking excessively can reduce your sperm quality . The NHS recommends drinking no more than 14 units of alcohol a week, spread out over at least three days. Try to stay well within these guidelines while you’re trying to conceive. One unit of alcohol is about half a pint of standard-strength beer or a 25ml measure of spirits, while a small (125ml) glass of wine contains 1.5 units . Keep your groin cool . Your testicles make the best sperm when they’re slightly cooler than the rest of your body. So you may want to avoid having a laptop resting in your lap, spending lots of time in a hot environment, or sitting still for long periods of time. The research is still out on whether wearing loose-fitting underwear can help, but it may be worth a try (NICE 2013, NHS 2017) .

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. Your testicles make the best sperm when they’re slightly cooler than the rest of your body. So you may want to avoid having a laptop resting in your lap, spending lots of time in a hot environment, or sitting still for long periods of time. The research is still out on whether wearing loose-fitting underwear can help, but it may be worth a try . Minimise stress. Feeling calm and relaxed makes it much easier to get in the mood for sex (NICE 2013, NHS 2017a) , and in some circumstances it may actually improve your sperm quality (NHS 2017a) . So if you’re trying to conceive, take it easy as much as possible (NICE 2013, NHS 2017a) .

(NHS 2017b)

References Cozzubbo T, Neri QV, Rosenwaks GD et al. To what extent can oocytes repair sperm DNA fragmentation? Fert Steril 102:3,e61

Fertility Coalition. 2019. Age. Fertility Coalition, For everyone. www.yourfertility.org.au [Accessed May 2019]

Ford WC, North K, Taylor H, et al. 2000. Increasing paternal age is associated with delayed conception in a large population of fertile couples: evidence for declining fecundity in older men. The ALSPAC Study Team (Avon Longitudinal Study of Pregnancy and Childhood).Hum Reprod. 15(8): 1703-8

GWR. nd. Oldest legal father. Guinness World Records. www.guinnessworldrecords.com [Accessed May 2019]

Harris ID, Fronczak C, Roth L et al. 2011. Fertility and the aging male. Rev Urol. 13(4): e184-e190 Harris ID. 2019. Effect of advanced paternal age on fertility and pregnancy. UpToDate. www.uptodate.com [Accessed May 2019] NHS. 2017a. How can I improve my chances of becoming a dad? NHS, Common health questions. www.nhs.uk [Accessed May 2019]

NHS. 2017b. Infertility NHS, Health A-Z. www.nhs.uk [Accessed May 2019]

NICE. 2013. Fertility problems: assessment and treatment. Last updated September 2017. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, Clinical Guideline CG156. www.nice.org.uk [Accessed May 2019] Petridou ET, Georgakis MK, Erdmann F et al. 2018. Advanced parental age as risk factor for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Eur J Epidemiol 33(10):965-76 Sartorius GA, Nieschlag E. 2010. Paternal age and reproduction. Hum Reprod Update. 16(1): 65-79. Smits RM, Mackenzie-Proctor R, Yazdani A et al. Antioxidants for male subfertility. Cochrane review. www.cochrane.org [Accessed May 2019] It’s easy to think that your age doesn’t matter when it comes to having a child. After all, celebrities such as Robert De Niro and Mick Jagger have fathered healthy babies well into their twilight years. And according to Guinness World Records, the oldest man to father a child was an incredible 92 years old at the time of the birth! However, the truth about male fertility and age may surprise you.In short, yes. Although most men are able to have children well into their 50s and beyond, it becomes gradually more difficult after the age of 40. There are many reasons for this, including:These factors don’t necessarily mean that you won’t be able to father a child in later life. But they do mean that it’s likely to be more difficult.Yes, the older you are, the longer it’s likely to take for you and your partner to conceive. This is true no matter how old she isOn average, if both partners in a couple are under 25, they'll usually conceive within five months. But if the woman's under 25 and the man is over 40, it can take up to two yearsUnfortunately, certain genetic conditions do seem to be more common among babies with older fathers. You may be at a slightly increased risk of having a baby with the following conditions as you get older, particularly in your 40s and beyond:Sadly, your risk of conceiving a pregnancy which ends in miscarriage may also increase as you age, particularly once you're over 40, and if your partner is over 35Some research has suggested that babies with a father younger than 20 may be more at risk of low birth weight and low Apgar scores. However, other studies haven’t found the same resultsAlthough your age may influence these risks, it’s only one of a large number of factors. Other aspects of your life and your partner’s life, such as your family medical history and your lifestyle, will have a much bigger effect.Yes, it does. As you age, your sperm is more likely to contain damaged DNA, which can make it more difficult to have a healthy baby. Your partner’s eggs have a built-in mechanism that can repair damaged DNA introduced by sperm. But the older she is, the less effective this will be. That's why some of the risks of genetic disorders only matter when both the mum and dad are older.Happily, there’s plenty that you can do to keep your fertility and potency in tip-top condition. The following can all help to safeguard your chances of conceiving a healthy baby:These tips may help to keep your fertility in tip-top condition. However, bear in mind that even healthy, fertile couples still sometimes take a little while to conceive.If you and your partner have been trying for a baby without success for a year or more, go and see your GP. If your partner’s over 35, or either of you have any history of infertility, see your GP sooner than this. He’ll arrange for you both to have tests, to see whether there could be a medical reason for your difficultiesFinally, you can comfort yourself with the fact that, while male fertility may gradually decline through the years, some men will still be able to father a healthy child well into their 50s and beyond.Find out how your lifestyle can affect your fertility , and discover the best sex positions for getting pregnant

babycentre.co.uk - Dads-to-be: how your age can affect your fertility and your baby's health

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