Myra IVF’s Dr. Sarita Sukhija says, ‘Just like women, men too have a ticking biological clock’

Women are often reminded of their ticking biological clocks. It’s almost like a countdown they’re told to live by, as they’re following their pursuits. It’s one thing that’s used to define every decision that they’re making: career, family planning and marriage. But not many of us know that it’s not just women, but men too who have a ticking biological clock. Just like women, their fertility is also impacted as they age. And just like women, men must factor in their biology as they navigate through different pillars of life.

Unlike women who stop producing eggs after a certain age, men have the ability to produce sperms everyday. But age and time can affect the quality of those sperms and thus, impact the process of conceiving. As per research, male fertility also begins to decline in the same age as female fertility, which is between 35 and 45. The male reproductive organs pace down as men grow older and become less efficient. All of this leads to lower sperm count and might lead to genetic abnormalities.

Dr. Sarita Sukhija, the visionary behind Myra IVF, mentions, “The onus of successful pregnancy has always been put on women. But the role of men is just as important. At the end of the day, despite our genders we’re all human bodies which means that ageing will have a certain impact on us. Just like women, men too have a ticking biological clock. The quality and production of their sperms also get impacted as they grow older. To have a successful pregnancy, it’s important to have the fertility of both the partners in check.”

There are several ways in which male’s fertility gets impacted due to aging. First and foremost, men go through hormonal changes as they grow older. Their testosterone levels undergo decline which in a way affects sperm production. Other hormones like estrogen and estradiol also change which might impact libido and may cause erectile dysfunction. With ageing, the mobility of sperms also gets impacted. They’re not as good in quality as younger sperms are, and might impact their gravitation towards the egg to fertilize it. Due to this decline in the sperm quality, the overall process of conceiving might become challenging.

Another element to factor in for men is the risk of genetic disorders. As men age, sperms can pass down genetic mutations or other conditions like autism, down syndrome, schizophrenia among many others. There’s also a risk of DNA fragmentation which can cause poor embryo development or even miscarriage in certain situations. Even age related ailments like hypertension and diabetes can affect fertility by affecting sexual functionality. Apart from these factors, the time taken to conceive is also a lot more in older men. It’s due to multiple factors including lower sperm mobility, decreased sperm count and deterioration in sperm quality.

While there are several ways in which age affects fertility, it can still be managed in various ways. A lot of lifestyle changes can ensure that sperm quality doesn’t drop a lot. For instance, maintaining a balanced diet, regular physical activity and limiting alcohol and tobacco can lead to better sperm quality as compared to the ones where men are inactive, don’t have a balanced diet and consume alcohol and tobacco regularly. In situations where men are planning to conceive later, they can also undergo semen analysis and sperm freezing.

Semen analysis is an early fertility testing that can give them insights into reproductive potential. In semen analysis, sperm quality and count are assessed and can give a glimpse into the sexual health of the men. While sperm freezing is a way in which men can preserve their fertile sperms at younger age where they can use them later when they want to conceive.

Myra IVF’s Dr. Sarita Sukhija says, “We have seen a lot of women come to fertility clinics when they’re planning to conceive later in life. They’re aware of their biological clock and therefore, plan more. Men on the other hand are not very aware that they too have a ticking clock. If they want to embrace parenthood later in life, they too should be proactive in planning and consult an IVF centre for the same. Age can impact them equally and they must factor that while planning for their parenthood.”