If You Can't Have Children, Is It Mom's Age's Fault?..."Birth Rate Drops Sharply When Dad Is Over 40"

Male age acts as an important factor in birth rates
Especially significant for pregnancy and childbirth in women aged 35-40
The interaction between aged eggs and sperm in pregnancy is far more complex than commonly believed

The photo is not related to any specific expression in the article. [Image source=Pixabay]

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Nayeon] A study has drawn attention by revealing that the age of the male partner has a much greater impact on birth rates than previously thought.

According to the British daily The Guardian on the 23rd (local time), a team led by Professor Gita Nargund, an obstetrician and gynecologist at St George's Hospital in the UK, presented these findings through an analysis of 19,000 in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles.

Until now, the impact on birth rates has mainly emphasized the age of the female partner. However, this study suggests that the male partner's age plays a more significant role in birth rates than previously recognized.

The research team analyzed anonymous data from over 18,000 IVF and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles provided by the UK's fertility regulatory authority to assess the effect of parental age on birth outcomes.

The results showed that for women aged 35 or younger, or 40 and older, the age of the male partner had little effect on birth rates.

In contrast, for women aged between 35 and 40, if the male partner was 40 or older, birth rates significantly declined.

Professor Nargund, who led the study, explained, "Oocytes from women under 35 have the ability to repair DNA damage commonly found in sperm from older men, but this repair capacity diminishes when the woman is over 40."

He added, "Interestingly, for women aged 35 to 40, the male partner's age has a greater impact on birth outcomes. When the father's age is 35 or younger, the embryo birth rate is 32.8%, but this drops to 27.9% when the father's age increases to 40-44."

Furthermore, if the male partner is over 55, the probability of the embryo resulting in a live birth decreases to 25%.

Professor Nargund emphasized, "For a long time, the burden of birth failure has been placed on women, and the short- and long-term effects of the father's age on offspring have largely been ignored. The interaction between aging oocytes and sperm in pregnancy is far more complex than commonly believed."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.