#Paris #France #Paternal Age #IVF Cycles #ESHRE

Introduction

At the 41st Annual Meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) held in Paris, profound insights regarding paternal age and reproductive health were revealed. The new findings shed light on how male age significantly influences outcomes in in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles, particularly regarding miscarriage rates and the odds of live births.

Study Overview

Conducted across six fertility centers in Italy and Spain between the years 2019 and 2023, an international study analyzed the first cycles of egg donation involving 1,712 participants. The unique aspect of this research was the decision to utilize exclusively young donor eggs, which allowed the researchers to isolate the effects of paternal age from maternal factors. This was a necessary step to ascertain a clearer understanding of how older paternal age may impact reproductive success.

Key Findings

The study divided participants into two groups based on paternal age: those above 45 years (n=646) and those aged 45 or younger (n=1,066). The outcomes revealed notable differences:

1. Miscarriage Rates: The group with older fathers experienced a significantly higher miscarriage rate of 23.8%, as opposed to 16.3% observed in the younger paternal group.
2. Live Birth Rates: Only 35.1% of pregnancies in the older paternal group resulted in live births, while this rate was higher at 41% for younger fathers.

These statistics challenge the prevailing narrative suggesting that paternal age has a negligible impact once fertilization has occurred. The data obtained from this study provides compelling evidence to reconsider the focus on maternal age in reproductive health initiatives.

Expert Commentary

Dr. Maria Cristina Guglielmo, an embryologist affiliated with Eugin Italy and a key contributor to the study, emphasized the shifting perspective in reproductive medicine.
"Traditionally, maternal age has been the primary concern regarding reproductive outcomes, but our findings clearly indicate that the age of male partners also independently affects fertility success, even with high-quality embryos created from young donor eggs," she noted.

Moreover, Dr. Guglielmo highlighted concerns regarding the obscured effects of advanced paternal age on the health of offspring.
"There is increasing evidence linking older paternal age with a heightened risk of neurodevelopmental disorders in children," she added. The intention of ongoing and future research is to delve deeper into the long-term health and developmental outcomes for children conceived through donor cycles where fathers are older, isolating these paternal influences more effectively.

Conclusion

The findings presented at ESHRE 2025 significantly underscore the complexity of factors influencing reproductive outcomes, particularly the underrecognized role of paternal age. As the medical community continues to study these variables, there will likely be a shift in how reproductive health is approached, paving the way for more informed guidance for prospective parents. The complete study findings have been published in Human Reproduction, one of the leading journals in the field of reproductive medicine.

Key Takeaways

• - Older paternal age is linked to increased miscarriage rates in IVF cycles.
• - The live birth rates decrease with advancing paternal age, even when using young donor eggs.
• - Future studies will explore the implications of older fathers on child health and developmental outcomes.