Male ‘biological clock’ can affect chances of birth more than was thought, study finds

A study of IVF cycles has shown the impact of paternal age on live birth rates could be more important than previously thought. Photograph: damircudic/Getty Images

The first thing a woman seeking to conceive via fertility treatment will undoubtedly be told is the impact her age will have on her chances of a successful pregnancy.

But now a study of nearly 19,000 IVF cycles has shown how the influence of the paternal age on live birth rates could play a more vital role than previously thought.