I caught up with Dr. Nancy after her segment on the male biological clock this morning. I asked her what the one take-away point should be from the segment, and she said quite simply: "There is one." That is, there IS a male biological clock, and it's something that everyone should take into account when family planning and deciding to have children. The female biological clock often receives the attention because it's a clear and simple fact -- women cannot have children after a certain age. However, men can still reproduce at any age, and that's the reason that the male risk factors often drop off the radar screen.
Some of the statistics are quite alarming, however. Of the nearly 6 million fertility problems in the US each year, roughly 40% of them are attributed to the man. Of all the babies born with Down Syndrome to women over the age of 35, HALF of them are actually sperm-related. (Source for both statistics: Dr. Harry Fisch, director of the Male Reproductive Center at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center.) There are other studies out there that are still being discussed, with possible links between the male biological clock and diseases such as autism and schizophrenia.
According to Dr. Nancy, the most important step that men can take is having a good relationship with their doctor, specifically a urologist, so problems can be identified before it's too late. And both men and women should be aware of the male biological risk factors, rather than solely focusing on the woman's age. She was emphatic about this story, and wants as many people to listen up as possible. WATCH VIDEO.