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I grew tired of seeing that at 30, women are assulted left right & center on the decrease in their "reproductive abilities".
Not a lot of things get better with age, but at least we as women get wiser. Wise enough to realize that it's 2 people that make a baby and that there is some research out there that points out exactly that. Publications and media have slammed women over 30 for increased risks and obstinately harassed women under 30 to reproduce at the cost of their health, personal freedom and general happiness. Funny enough they all placed the burden of a healthy birth on the mother. It's her body - righ`?
But increased paternal age was linked to an increased frequency of chromosome abnormalities in sperm. It's not just a poor diet coupled with horrible lifestyles and Cheetos flavor. Men's age plays a huge role as well.
Next time an old scrote wants to hit the jackpot - just remind yourself this: genetic abnormalities, perinatal complications, affected mental health of the offspring.
Vet men over 30s like your future child's life depends on it because it does.
On a harsher, more realistic side, after surfing the sperm donors profiles, almost none of them was past 30, although the donors have an age limit of 40. It was also an interesting perspective, one I have never seen portrayed by the media with regards to men: raw material, mix'n'match where males are broken down to the essentials: height, build, eye color, hair color and genetic testing for defects. And to imagine that subpar sperm makes it daily to its destination just breaks my little dark heart.
"She's an older mother" and the term "geriatric pregnancy" used to refer to anyone over 35 giving birth is pure patriarchy.
The hypocrisy and prejudice relating to reproductive health is vile. I was talking with someone who has a Biology background and has worked in labs and she says it's common knowledge that sperm deteriorates at a faster rate than eggs do. But with the amount of pro-male, patriarchal propaganda, not many people know this. So many younger women are duped into breeding with geriatric scrotes and have no idea that their child is very likely to be born with mental deficiencies and/or genetic abnormalities. My grandma had my mum naturally (no IVF) at 46 (her husband was around 39/40). It was her last child but she had no birth defects, was intelligent and grew up healthily, with no issues. I really hate all the misinformation out there on this topic.
I cannot begin to explain how many dead, immobile, or misshapen sperm samples* that I’ve seen working in reproductive endocrinology & infertility. Men’s sperm/fertility definitely has a shelf life.
*ETA: and this is if they can even produce sperm at all (hi, azoospermic scrotes!)
Though it's better not to wait too long, the hysteria around women waiting to have kids makes me think scrotes want us barefoot and pregnant ASAP.
Another patriarchial bind of course, as young mothers and single ones aren't okay either according to men!
Scrote sperm stays perfect until he is at least 70, of course.
It would be nice if we had more studies on this - but I guess they have no incentive to make them since they can already blame "the mother" and fearmonger women.
some links
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7006092/
https://www.nyp.org/news/male-biological-clock-may-be-ticking-for-down-syndrome-in
My mum had me at 46 (and my dad was 61). Totally natural, no IVF, I was the unexpected accident lol She was advised by doctors at the time she was carrying me in 1991-92 - that i would most likely have alot of defects and she should just abort me. She was also shamed for being so old and pregnant, often by nurses and doctors, but also by people on the street/supermarket who would see she was pregnant. When she went into visit the doctor, the receptionist redirected her to the wrong building, she walked an entire block while 7 months pregnant only to find out when she got there that it was the wrong building. She found out later the receptionist didn’t believe she was pregnant when she said she was, so gave her the directions to the GP and not the geriatric department. After having me, she was still shamed for being an older mum. She would often get called grandma (understandably as she was 50 when i was 4), but when she would correct them politely they would turn on her in horror, shame her and tell her off for having a baby so late. This attitude was mostly from women. Other women who were lovely would gasp and tell her it was such a blessing to have me at such a late age, that it was a joy and she was so lucky. These people were a dime in a dozen. My dad however never got any shame for being an older dad. It was my mum who held the brunt of the general publics disdain.
I said loudly and often, when reminded that “time was running out” - LET IT. Color me an unashamed blatant childfree troll to all pro-natalists. I knew that it was baby-trapping propaganda and I pushed back HARD. Ladies, you do what you know is right for your life. Want kids? Vet hard, as if your life depends on it because it does. The life of your child(ren) depends on hard, ruthless vetting. Don’t want kids? Stand firm and push back hard. Don’t know yet? I’d strongly urge you to look deep within and decide. I’m 54 and so glad to be childfree. I would not have been a good parent and becoming a good enough parent would have meant world-building where I had zero vocation. Knowing your own mind and heart about this is crucial for the entire direction of your life trajectory.
I would never use sperm from a man over 35. Too risky. Preferably would choose a sperm donor in his 20s. My first son's father was 20 at the time of conception (I was 19) and for my current pregnancy the donor was 25. I think the role that sperm plays in the likelihood of conception and health of the fetus is so underestimated. We tend to blame everything on old eggs, however older mothers are also more likely to have babies with older fathers, so who knows how the fault is really split between sperm and egg? Although it is true that women have a cut off to fertility- menopause- whereas men just have a slow decline. Life isn't fair in that sense- although maybe there's an evolutionary reason for women to go through menopause when they do, so they can contribute to raising their grandchildren & leadership roles in their group without pregnancy & birth interfering. Men's role in reproduction isn't exactly taxing to their bodies 😂
Men may be fertile for many decades but I’ve read they reach their peak before 30. Once over 30 their sperm count drops, the quality declines. By the time a man is 50 he has a significantly smaller chance of impregnating a women of any age than just 10 years earlier. If they have unhealthy habits it can be worse.
Men's sperm count has decreased to a tenth of what it used to be due to plastics with BPA, according to my anatomy professor in med school.
Sperm gets worse and worse with age because it constantly has to be produced new by the body. As a woman, you have all eggs at birth: if nothing goes terribly wrong (downs syndrome) you are all good. For a man every 'healthy' baby produced by his sperm loses quality over time: lower IQ, mental illness etc. They are the ones who hit the wall. We are just wayyyyy too forgiving.