Does the father’s age affect outcomes of intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection?

This study investigated how paternal age affects the outcomes of intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Researchers reported an effect of paternal age on the number of high-quality embryos, but not on other pregnancy outcomes, following ICSI.

The effect of the mother’s age (maternal age) on pregnancy has been the focus of much investigation. The age of the father (paternal age) on reproductive outcomes is less well understood. Paternal age is linked to some genetic qualities of the sperm, which could affect the outcome of assisted reproductive techniques.

Assisted reproductive techniques include in-vitro fertilization (IVF) and intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). During IVF, sperms and eggs are placed in a laboratory dish, where the egg is fertilized and then implanted into the uterus. ICSI is a form of IVF where a single sperm is injected directly into the egg prior to IVF. Because ICSI limits the natural selection of the sperm, there may be an effect of paternal age on treatment outcomes.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of paternal age on reproductive outcomes following ICSI.

The records of 2,627 ICSI cycles were analyzed. Paternal ages ranged from 22 to 78 years (average 33.57 years). Reproductive outcomes of the ICSI cycles were compared across paternal age groups.

Paternal age did not affect the number of fertilized eggs, number of fertilized eggs with high-quality zygotes (beginning of embryos), and number of viable embryos. However, higher paternal age had a negative effect on the number of high-quality embryos. This remained significant after adjusting for maternal age.

The average rate of clinical pregnancies (positive pregnancy test) following an ICSI cycle was 48.5%. The rate of clinical pregnancies, ongoing pregnancy, early pregnancy loss, rate of live births, premature births, and birth defects were all unaffected by paternal age.

Researchers concluded that higher paternal age can influence the number of high-quality embryos, but had no effect on other pregnancy outcomes in couples undergoing ICSI.