A woman is born with all the eggs she’ll ever have. But a man is constantly making new sperm cells that divide and replicate about every 16 days. By age 20, a
man’s sperm cells have gone through about 150 divisions. That number could grow to 800 by the time he is 50.
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The more times sperm cells replicate, the more chances there is for a genetic mutation to occur. Fortunately, most genetic mutations are benign, meaning they won’t cause any harm to a baby.
Examples of genetic conditions that have been associated with advanced paternal age include some skeletal dysplasias or dwarfism syndromes. These include achondroplasia, the most common form of dwarfism, and thanatophoric dysplasia. Some types of craniosynostosis syndromes have also been associated with advanced paternal age. These cause the premature fusion of bones in the skull, which affects head shape, and include Crouzon syndrome, Pfeiffer syndrome, and Apert syndrome.
These conditions are caused by genetic variations (or mutations) in specific genes. They are sometimes inherited but can also occur sporadically and unpredictably. One factor correlated with this sporadic genetic variation in some cases is paternal age.
We routinely offer testing during pregnancy for conditions associated with maternal age, such as
Down syndrome, but with 20,000 human genes, there are just too many potential genetic mutations associated with paternal age to check all of them. Talk with a doctor or
genetic counselor about your unique situation and whether genetic testing may be appropriate.
What other conditions are associated with paternal age?
A father’s age can also affect a baby’s health at birth and later in life.
One study revealed that babies who are born to men 45 or older were 14% more likely to be admitted to the
neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), 14% more likely to be born premature, 18% more likely to have seizures, and 14% more likely to have a low birth weight.
The same study also found that pregnant women whose partners are 45 or older are 28% more likely to develop
gestational diabetes, which can lead to a larger baby, low neonatal blood sugar, premature birth, and increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life.
Research has shown a connection between advanced paternal age and several childhood cancers, such as
leukemia and
non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and a range of psychiatric and neurological disorders, such as schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorders. However, these diseases are multifactorial, which means they are caused by a complex combination of genetic and non-genetic factors, including environmental and lifestyle factors.
Having an older father does not mean a baby will automatically develop any of the conditions listed above. Although advanced paternal age does bear some risk, there is a very low likelihood that becoming a father late in life will adversely impact the future health of your baby.
If you have questions, though, talk with your health care provider and a genetic counselor. We can help you understand the risks and recommend any tests or procedures that are available to increase your chances of a healthy pregnancy and baby.
