Women often talk about their biological clock ticking. But men too have a clock and it's ticking just as loudly - we just haven't heard it.

It's a little known fact that of the one in six Australian couples who end up seeking medical treatment to have a a baby, almost half of those cases have trouble due to male infertility

Australian researchers have found that men face a fertility decline at the age of 35.

Sydney IVF researchers took sperm samples from more than 3,000 men and deduced that men have a ticking clock to have kids, just as women do.

They found significant DNA damage to sperm when the man was above the age of 35.

So, the older the man, the more damage.

It's famous older dads like Rupert Murdoch, who fathered two kids after 70, who are the rare exceptions.

Low Sperm Count and damaged sperm DNA are the two reasons for infertility the research exposes.

Sunrise online asked Dr Mark Bowman, Medical Director of Sydney IVF for comments on how men can protect themselves from infertility.

Dr Mark Bowman says, "on average, men produce between 20 to 200 million sperm per ml in each ejaculation. Having a low sperm count means that a man produces less than 20 million sperm per ml each time he ejaculates. The result is that there may not be enough sperm produced to reach the egg for fertilisation to take place - causing male infertility."

"Having a high proportion of fragmented sperm DNA can mean that although a man has a normal sperm count, a high proportion of his sperm DNA are damaged. The problem with damaged sperm DNA is that even if the sperm reaches and fertilises the egg, the resulting embryo is not viable."

"In other terms, the sperm isn't healthy enough to lead to a baby and in some cases miscarriages are a result. This is also a cause of male infertility."

"The reality for some men is that there is nothing that can be done to improve sperm count. However, men can improve the overall quality and health of their sperm by following a few simple steps;"

1.    Don't smoke

2.    Drink alcohol in moderation only

3.    Follow a good diet and exercise regime

4.    Take anti-oxidants (although this won't improve a man's sperm count, it can reduce the amount of damage caused to sperm DNA)

5.    Spend more quality time with your partner - the more sex a man has, the healthier his sperm will be. This is a real case of use it or lose it.

 

For men with persistent problems with sperm count or fragmented DNA, IVF technology is associated with high success rates.

 

More info

For more information on male infertility and options available to help treat it, one option is

Sydney IVF www.sydneyivf.com

 

Related links

Australian fertility trends - Government statistics

Low Fertility A Discussion Paper - Office for Women