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Published on: August 25, 2014
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Paternal age and neonatal outcomes: a population-based cohort study
Wenxue Xiong1, Xijia Tang1, Lu Han2
1Department of Medical Statistics, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
Human Reproduction Open
|March 5, 2025
Summary
Paternal age is linked to increased risks of preterm birth and caesarean sections. This finding highlights the importance of considering paternal age in preconception counseling for pregnancy risks.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Health
- Perinatal Medicine
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Advanced maternal age is a known risk factor for adverse neonatal outcomes.
- The association between paternal age and neonatal outcomes is less understood but biologically plausible due to potential genetic and epigenetic changes in sperm.
- This study investigates the link between paternal age and various neonatal outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if paternal age is associated with adverse neonatal outcomes.
- To quantify the risks of specific outcomes like preterm birth and caesarean section in relation to paternal age.
- To compare the influence of paternal age with maternal age on neonatal outcomes.
Main Methods:
- A population-based cohort study of 783,988 mother-neonate-father trios in Guangdong Province, China (2014-2019).
- Modified Poisson and logistic regression models were used to analyze associations and relative importance.
- Restricted cubic splines modeled non-linear dose-response relationships; additive interactions between parental ages were assessed.
Main Results:
- Fathers aged 35-44 years were associated with higher risks of caesarean section (RR: 1.07) and preterm birth (PTB) (RR: 1.15) compared to fathers aged 25-34 years.
- A J-shaped, dose-dependent association was observed for PTB risk with increasing paternal age (P for non-linearity <0.001).
- Paternal age showed similar or greater predictive importance for PTB and caesarean section compared to maternal age; associations with SGA or PID were not significant.
Conclusions:
- Paternal age is independently associated with an increased risk of caesarean section and preterm birth.
- Findings suggest paternal age should be considered in preconception counseling regarding age-related pregnancy risks.
- Further research is needed on the public health implications of increasing paternal age.
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