While a 52-year-old man can still father a child, sperm quality generally declines with age, leading to lower fertilization rates, reduced embryo development, and potentially increased risks for the child, such as developmental disorders or birth complications, though outcomes vary greatly. Sperm DNA fragmentation, reduced motility, and poorer morphology are common issues, impacting IVF success rates and increasing time to conceive, but healthy pregnancies are still possible, especially with advanced reproductive technologies.
Though women's natural fertility ends with menopause, giving us a defined period of time to study, men continue to produce sperm until the very end of their lives, making pregnancy possible from the sperm of 50-year-olds (and 80-year-olds).
Men can produce sperm throughout their lives, so there is no “male menopause” when men can't have children any longer. But that said, studies have shown that male fertility does decline with age. If a man is over age 45, it can take five times longer for he and his partner to conceive than if he was aged 25 or under.
Both sperm quality and testosterone peak around age 20, declines start in the early 30s and speed up in early 40s.
As a male, one can have children at any age, although it is common knowledge that the older the father is, the greater likelihood of passing down medical issues to offspring.
Though many men can have children into their 50s and beyond, there are some challenges associated with becoming an older dad. Semen volume, sperm quality, and testosterone production all decrease with each passing year.
Male Fertility Facts
Peak male fertility is around 25-29 years old. Sperm quality begins to decline at 30. At 45, men begin to experience a significant decrease in semen volume. Older men can also take longer to conceive a child.
Symptoms of a low sperm count include:
Difficulty maintaining an erection (erectile dysfunction) Inability to impregnate a woman (infertility) Low sex drive. Pain, swelling, or a lump in the testicle area.
The overall picture is that the older the parents (both the mother and the father), the more likely they are to have a daughter.
Infants born to older fathers were found to be at higher risk of premature birth, late still birth, low Apgar scores, low birth weight, higher incidence of newborn seizures and birth defects such as congenital heart disease and cleft palate.
All pregnancies have risks, and pregnancy after 50 is no exception. One small study followed 45 healthy mothers ages 50-63 who used donor eggs, and found that 35% experienced pregnancy-related hypertension (high blood pressure), 20% experienced gestational diabetes, and 78% had a cesarean section.
Janet thinks it was a “gift” to give birth at age 50. Janet did what many think it's impossible — conceive at nearly fifty years old. At the time, she was married to businessman Wissam Al Mana and, by all public accounts, was able to get pregnant naturally.
The chance of getting pregnant decreases the older you get: Age 40-44 – if you don't use contraception for a year and have regular sex, up to 20% of women will become pregnant. Age 45-50 – the chances are more like 10% Over 50 – the chance of pregnancy is significantly lower.
Adulthood prime (maximal performance age) begins when growth in height terminates or the velocity slows to an almost imperceptible rate. For women this occurs, on average, by 18-20 years and for men the typical ages are 20-23 years. The Prime adult years continue until about age 30-35 years in both sexes.
“The theory is that the X chromosome is bigger and heavier than the Y chromosome, so the Y-chromosome sperm swim faster,” explains Twogood. “X-containing sperm are more tenacious, so having intercourse longer before ovulation will more likely result in a female-sex fetus.”
You cannot see or feel these changes, and they happen faster than you may think. A woman's peak reproductive years are between the late teens and late 20s. By age 30, fertility (the ability to get pregnant) starts to decline. This decline happens faster once you reach your mid-30s.
The present study showed that antioxidant supplements, especially a combination of antioxidants such as vitamin C, vitamin E, and CoQ10 intake can effectively improve semen parameters in infertile men.
A fishy smell in semen often indicates the presence of bacteria, possibly from an infection. This could be due to various conditions, including bacterial vaginosis, STIs, or prostate infections. Good hygiene and medical evaluation are important if this smell persists.
Although a man's fertility can theoretically last until death, sperm production has been found to decline from around the age of 50. Although it is still possible to conceive a child, and many men do have children in their 50s or later, it may take longer for you and your partner to become pregnant.
For healthy semen samples collected between 5:00am and 7:30am were found to exhibit a statistically higher sperm concentration, total sperm count and a higher percentage of normally shaped sperm, compared to samples produced later in the day. Sperm motility was not influenced by the time of sample production.
Researchers discovered that there could be a link between older men and chromosome changes that could increase the chance of their child having a longer life. Amazingly, this genetic advantage could last for two generations, with the potential to benefit both your child, and any potential grandchildren.
One study revealed that babies who are born to men 45 or older were 14% more likely to be admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), 14% more likely to be born premature, 18% more likely to have seizures, and 14% more likely to have a low birth weight.
The oldest ever man to father a child was reportedly Les Colley (1898 - 1998, Australia), who had his ninth child a son named Oswald to his third wife at the age of 92 years 10 months.
While joint custody has gained recognition as being beneficial for children after divorce or separation, attaining a 50/50 split might be challenging for fathers due to prevailing societal norms and practical considerations that courts must take into account when determining custodial arrangements.