The modern conditions often lead both men and women to go to marriage and having children at ages greater number than before.
The relatively advanced age of their mothers has been proven to negatively affect both the probability of conception (after 37 years of age) and the probability of birth of healthy children (presence of fear syndrome Down, with deformities and mental retardation).
Because male-to-large proportion bear children after age 50 and many over 60, there were questions over the changes that can bring both age on reproductive capacity of men and the health of unborn children.
First, the progress of age in healthy men does not appear to significantly affect reproductive capacity. We studied the changes in sperm, testes and the hormones, which are true to a lesser extent in elderly men, but far are significant. The use, of course, certain drugs for therapeutic reasons (such as chemotherapy for treatment of any malignancy) and sometimes for personal reasons (eg postponement impressive physical appearance!) Can very adversely affect sperm, but this can be attributed age.
It should be mentioned and some medications that may impair sexual function (thus, indirectly, reproduction), as some anti-hypertensives and antidepressants, and hormonal treatment for prostate disease. Also medicines for the treatment of voiding disorders can disrupt or even halt completely the ejaculation.
Effect of age his father on the child’s health have many questions to which several researchers have tried to answer. Investigated the incidence of Down’s syndrome due to old age father. Also, the incidence of schizophrenia, autism, heart disorders and other abnormalities. All relevant studies published do not cleared to strict scientific criteria, whether it is the great age of the father to be considered a risk factor for occurrence of significant abnormalities in unborn children.
The opinion of the most experienced doctors, dealing with issues of reproduction, is that the vast majority of children of older fathers have no health problems. The experts, therefore, do not exclude older applicants, or even fathers from participating in IVF.
Plato Kehagias www.apogevmatini.gr