Couples who are trying to conceive should be aware of the changes that aging can make to male fertility.
Women have a higher conception rate if they are under the age of 35. Most people are aware of the role that age plays in female fertility.
But, the fact is that even though, strictly speaking, men do not ever get “too old” to father a child, there is nevertheless an effect on male fertility as a man increases in years.
In women, menopause is a more or less sudden event that effectively shuts down the reproductive capabilities. In men, there is no sudden event. Instead, there is a very gradual process that many people refer to as “andropause.”
As men age, there are changes to testicular tissues, the quality and quantity of sperm, and sometimes erectile dysfunction, better known as ED. There may also be a decrease in the male hormone testosterone.
These changes take place over a period of time, and can definitely have an impact on male fertility.
The tubes that carry sperm from the epididymis before ejaculation are called the vas deferens. These tubes may lose elasticity, and thus be less capable of moving the sperm to the ejaculate.
Over time and with increased age, the production of sperm usually slows down, so that there are less sperm available to make their way to a waiting female egg.
In addition, the prostate gland, epididymis and seminal vesicles lose a certain amount of surface cells, which also contributes to impaired male fertility.
The prostate gland often enlarges in older men. In fact, research has shown that approximately half of all men will experience Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy, or BPH, which is a condition that results from prostate tissue gradually being replaced with tissue that is scar-like.
Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy can cause problems with urination, but more significantly in terms of male fertility; it may result in problems with ejaculation as well.
That being said, a man may still be able to father children if his prostate gland is completely removed.
So, although men really don’t ever become over the hill when it comes to fathering children, there are age-related conditions in the male reproductive system that are not a factor in younger men.
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