Male Infertility and Family Planning: Insights from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Male Health (Ten to Men)

Sean Martin, Australian Institute of Family Studies

Declining fertility rates in Australia and internationally are influenced by a variety of factors, including socioeconomic conditions, cultural norms, and individual choices. The role of men in shaping fertility patterns has often been overlooked and most existing research in men has focused on biological factors. The aim of this study was to investigate prevalence of and factors influencing male fertility in Australia and compare these findings with those related to female fertility. The main outcomes were self-reported data on fertility intentions, behaviours and outcomes from 4 survey waves of Ten to Men: The Australian Longitudinal Study on Male Health. Poisson regression models were fitted to identify changes over time, and which demographic, socioeconomic, and health characteristics factors were associated with fertility. Survival analysis was used to assess which of these factors were associated with time to first fatherhood. Results from these analyses were then directly compared with existing research on female fertility from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health. This research contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of population dynamics in Australia. This knowledge can inform the development of evidence-based policies to promote healthy fertility and sustainable population growth.

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  Presented in Session 120. Managing Fertility in Contemporary Australia: Issues, Challenges and Opportunities