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  • Vieillissement et Reproduction
  • Age Paternel et Fertilité
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Age paternel: apport des données épidémiologiques et d'AMP

Paternal age: contribution of epidemiological and ART data

Andrologie volume 14, pages 193–196 (2004)Cite this article

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Introduction

Contrairement à l'âge maternel, l'effet de l'âge paternel a rarement été analysé. Notre objectif était de falre une revue des travaux analysant l'effet de l'âge paternel sur le risque d'infertilité et sur le risque de fausse couche.

Matériel et méthodes

Seize références analysant l'effet de l'âge paternel ont été sélectionnées grâce à une recherche dans MEDLINE.

Résultats

Les recherches sur l'âge paternel ont été menées essentiellement à partir d'enquêtes épidémiologiques (13 références) et à partir de données d'AMP qui permettent de contrôler les facteurs féminins dans le cadre des FIV avec don d'ovocytes (3 références). A partir des données épidémiologiques, une augmentation des risques d'infertilité et de fausse couche a été mise en évidence chez les hommes âgés de plus de 35–40 ans après contrôle des effets de l'âge maternel. Le risque de mortalité fœtale tardive (après 20 semaines d'aménorrhées) pourrait également augmenter avec l'âge paternel. L'étude du taux de grossesses cliniques en FIV avec don d'ovocytes, conduit sur un nombre restreint d'études, n'a pas permis de mettre en évidence des conclusions homogènes.

Conclusion

Le risque d'infertilité et le risque de fausse couche augmentent chez les hommes de plus de 40 ans.

Abstract

Introduction

Maternal age over 35 years is a well known risk factor in reproduction. This effect of maternal age had been demonstrated on the risk of infertility and the risk of miscarriage on the basis of epidemiological data and ART data, especially AID sources. In contrast, the effect of paternal age has been rarely analysed. The objective of this study was to review the literature analysing the effect of paternal age on the risk of infertility and the risk of miscarriage.

Material and method

Sixteen publications analysing paternal age were selected by a MEDLINE search. Thirteen publications concerned epidemiological data, based on surveys in the general population, surveys in pregnant women, case-control studies, and birth and death certificates. Three publications concerned ART data, based on IVF with ovum donation. In IVF with ovum donation, there is no correlation between paternal age and age of the female gamete donor.

Results

Seven epidemiological studies analysed the effect of paternal age on the risk of infertility. After controlling for maternal age, five studies showed a paternal age effect, and one showed a very weak paternal age effect. The last study did not show any paternal age effect, but only considered men under the age of 33 years. Three studies analysed the effect of paternal age on pregnancy rates in IVF with ovum donation. Only one study showed a paternal age effect. The four studies analysing the effect of paternal age on the risk of miscarriage showed a paternal age effect and two of the three studies based on birth and death certificates showed a paternal age effect on late foetal death (>20 weeks of gestation).

Conclusion

There are concordant data in the literature showing an effect of paternal age on the risk of infertility and the risk of miscarriage. Paternal age over 40 years could therefore be a risk factor in reproduction in the same way as maternal age over 35 years. Moreover, the risk of infertility and the risk of miscarriage could be much higher when both partners are over the age of 35–40 years.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Groupe de recherche sur la fertilité humaine, Toulouse

    Patrick Thonneau

  2. Unité mixte INSERMINED 569, Hopital de Bicêtre, 82, rue du général Leclerc, 94276, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre Cedex, France

    Elise de La Rochebrochard

Authors
  1. Elise de La Rochebrochard
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  2. Patrick Thonneau
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Elise de La Rochebrochard.

Additional information

Communication au XXo Congrès de la Société d'Andrologie de Langue Française, Orléans, 11–13 décembre 2003.

Cette présentation s'inspire d'un travail publié: LA ROCHEBROCHARD (DE) E., MCELREAVEY K., THONNEAU P. Paternal age over 40 years: the ‘amber light’ in the reproductive life of men? J. Androl., 2003, 24: 459–465.

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de La Rochebrochard, E., Thonneau, P. Age paternel: apport des données épidémiologiques et d'AMP. Androl. 14, 193–196 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03034794

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Basic and Clinical Andrology

ISSN: 2051-4190