Work

Reproductive axis ageing and fertility in men

Year: 2022
Type: article
Abstract: Compared to women, increasing male age is not accompanied by such marked changes in reproductive function but changes certainly do happen. These include alterations to the hypothalamo-pituitary-testicular axis, with resultant implications for testosterone production and bioavailability as well as spermatogenesis. There is a decline in sexual function as men age, with a dramatic increase in the prevalence of erectile dysfunction after the age of 40, which is a marker for both clinically evident as well as covert coronary artery disease. Despite a quantitative decline in spermatogenesis and reduced fecundability, the male potential for fertility persists throughout adult life, however there are also increasingly recognised alterations in sperm quality and function with significant implications for offspring health. These changes are relevant to both natural and medically assisted conception.
Language: English
Field: Medicine
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $4,790
OpenAlex ID: W4307971519
FWCI: 7.702
Cites: 146
Cited by: 66
Related to: 10