The Correlation of Paternal Age on Semen Parameters in Assisted Reproduction: A Retrospective Study in Qassim, Saudi Arabia

Badr Alharbi; Fuhaid Alqossayir; Adel Moalwi; Emad Alwashmi; Adel H Alharbi; Abdullah Aloraini; Arwa Aljumah; Manahil Alhomaidhi; Mohammed Almansour

doi:10.7759/cureus.61632

The Correlation of Paternal Age on Semen Parameters in Assisted Reproduction: A Retrospective Study in Qassim, Saudi Arabia

Cureus. 2024 Jun 4;16(6):e61632. doi: 10.7759/cureus.61632. eCollection 2024 Jun.

Authors

Badr Alharbi¹, Fuhaid Alqossayir², Adel Moalwi³, Emad Alwashmi¹, Adel H Alharbi⁴, Abdullah Aloraini¹, Arwa Aljumah⁵, Manahil Alhomaidhi⁵, Mohammed Almansour^{6

7}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, Qassim University, Buraydah, SAU.
² Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, Qassim University, Buraydah, SAU.
³ Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, Najran University, Najran, SAU.
⁴ Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Qassim University, Buraydah, SAU.
⁵ Department of Reproductive Medicine, Prince Faisal Bin Mishaal Fertility Center, Buraydah, SAU.
⁶ Department of Urology, Imperial College London, London, GBR.
⁷ Department of Urology, King Fahd Specialist Hospital, Buraydah, SAU.

Abstract

Introduction: In the past, fertility concerns have predominantly revolved around the effect of a woman's age on the quality of her eggs and the success of her pregnancy. While men generally retain their ability to father children throughout their lives, there is evidence suggesting a decline in natural conception rates as paternal age increases. A growing body of research indicates a potential link between advanced paternal age (APA) and various adverse outcomes, including changes in sperm genetics, reduced conception rates, higher rates of miscarriage, lower live birth rates, and even long-term health consequences in offspring. However, it remains unclear whether there is an association between APA and the effectiveness of assisted reproductive technology (ART). This study aims to shed light on the relationship between APA and semen parameters.

Methodology: This is a retrospective, descriptive study analyzing data from electronic medical records of men undergoing ART at a fertility clinic in Saudia Arabia (2017-2022). Men aged 21-60 with at least one semen analysis and no missing data/hormonal treatment were included. Data on age and semen parameters (count, motility, and morphology) were extracted and analyzed using Jeffreys's Amazing Statistics Program (JASP; University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands) (descriptive statistics, Spearman's rank correlation).

Results: Analysis of 1506 men undergoing ART revealed a mean age of 37 years (SD=6.94) and a mean sperm count of 55.0 million/mL (SD=46.05). The correlation between age and sperm count indicates a minimal association (r=0.075, p<0.01); moderate positive correlations were observed between sperm count and motility (r=0.406); count and morphology (r=0.543); and motility and morphology (r=0.458).

Conclusion: Age may not be a major factor in overall sperm parameters for this population, but a strong positive correlation was observed between sperm count, motility, and normal morphology. These findings suggest that these semen parameters are interconnected, with higher sperm counts potentially indicating better overall sperm quality.

Keywords: advanced paternal age; assisted reproductive technology; epidemiology; male fertility; semen quality.