A recent study found only 2 per cent of Australians thought a man’s age mattered in whether he could father children. But age and lifestyle factors affect the quality of sperm and the chances of fatherhood.

The Fertility Society of Australia’s Anne Clark said sperm count had been the standard test of fertility for men but that doctors were coming round to viewing DNA breakages in sperm as a significant factor.

If more than 20 per cent of sperm is “fragmented” the chances of a partner becoming pregnant is significantly reduced. The usual lifestyle factors like drinking, smoking and being overweight were linked to DNA damage.

“This is one of the main reasons that when a man hits 40 the chance of his partner in her 30s conceiving either naturally or with IVF is halved,” Clark said. “But there’s extremely little awareness of this, and it’s hard to convince men this is an important part of the assessment process.” …

Source: DigitalJournal.com, Canada
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