Trigger warning: this is a direct conversation about human anatomy, infertility, and gender-specific challenges to conceiving biological children. Discussions around fertility and age drive so much of who we select as dating partners, but are we basing those assumptions on facts, or myths? We'll dive in and see if we can help clarify how age should and shouldn't play into your assessment of who you should choose to marry and raise children with. See the bottom of the show notes for citations.

Singles at SEA 2026: We'll be setting sail February 6-9, 2026 out of Miami, Florida on Wonder of the Seas and visiting The Bahamas! Prices subject to change, but you only need $200 to book a cabin/$100 per person if you book with a friend. Call Chelsea Fennell at 864-901-8233 Email: [email protected]

Get the From Singles, to Shepherds Info Guide Here! https://the-synchrony-project.mykajabi.com/from-singles-to-shepherds

Contact: If you want to join the conversation about this topic and give your thoughts, reach out on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, or at [email protected].

Learn more about our matchmaking services and dating resources at https://synchronyproject.com.

Intro/Outro music by: Balloon Planet, "Write Your Own Story," https://artlist.io/royalty-free-music/song/write-your-own-story/135437

Citations for this episode:

Prevalence and factors associated with infertility in reproductive-aged women in China Reproductive Health (2021) https://reproductive-health-journal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12978-021-01298-2

 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3253726/ Semen quality and aging: systematic review and meta-analysis Asian Journal of Andrology (2018) https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2090598X18300068

Age-related increase in sperm DNA fragmentation: A prospective study Frontiers in Aging (2025) https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/aging/articles/10.3389/fragi.2025.1603916/full

Effects of age on semen parameters and ART outcomes: A systematic review Frontiers in Endocrinology (2023) https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/endocrinology/articles/10.3389/fendo.2023.1194455/full

Semen parameters decline with age in healthy men Human Reproduction (2006) https://academic.oup.com/humrep/article/21/11/2868/2939168

Temporal trends in sperm count: A systematic review and meta-regression analysis Human Reproduction Update (2017) https://academic.oup.com/humupd/article/23/6/646/4035689

Delayed childbearing: More women are having their first child later in life OECD Society at a Glance (2024) https://webfs.oecd.org/els-com/Family_Database/SF_2_3_Age_mothers_childbirth.pdf

OECD Society at a Glance 2024 – Fertility Chapter OECD (2024) https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/society-at-a-glance-2024_918d8db3-en/full-report/fertility_748a5055.html

Spain has some of the oldest first-time mothers in the world Business Insider (2024) https://www.businessinsider.com/spain-some-oldest-moms-world-babies-born-women-over-40-2024-12

CDC National Health Statistics Reports: Male Fertility in the US (2015–2019) CDC / NCHS https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhsr/nhsr202.pdf