Babies born to older mothers have a higher risk of certain chromosomal conditions, such as Down syndrome. The risk of pregnancy loss is higher. The risk of miscarriage and stillbirth increases with age. This may be because of preexisting medical conditions or because of chromosomal conditions in the baby.
Biological aging could also negatively affect offspring development in the short and long run through physiological factors, such as diminished maternal health (particularly during conception, gestation, and birth) or increased rates of genetic disorders (Myrskylä and Fenelon 2012).
Men's age and fertility
Male fertility generally starts to reduce around age 40 to 45 years when sperm quality decreases. Increasing male age reduces the overall chances of pregnancy and increases time to pregnancy (the number of menstrual cycles it takes to become pregnant) and the risk of miscarriage and fetal death.
Contrary to current thinking, children of older mothers do not appear to be at increased risk of diseases later in life, according to a new study. The results show people born to women 35 to 44 years old were no less healthy in their 40s and 50s than those whose mothers were 25 to 34 when giving birth.
A recent study of more than 40.5 million births in the United States revealed potentially harmful effects of advanced paternal age on a baby's risk of prematurity, low birth weight, low Apgar score and risk of seizures, as well as the mother's chances of developing gestational diabetes.
Dr. Fisch and his colleagues found that the rate of Down syndrome steadily increased with advancing paternal age for the maternal age group of 35 to 39 years. The greatest increase, however, was seen in the maternal age group of 40 years and older with increasing paternal age.
Am I too old? While certain risks may rise with age, men continue to produce sperm throughout their lives and can father healthy children into old age.
But many first-time parents find that after the first month of parenthood, it can actually get more difficult. This surprising truth is one reason many experts refer to a baby's first three months of life as the “fourth trimester.” If months two, three, and beyond are tougher than you expected, you're not alone.
Experts say the best time to get pregnant is between your late 20s and early 30s. This age range is associated with the best outcomes for both you and your baby. One study pinpointed the ideal age to give birth to a first child as 30.5.
Women are most fertile and have the best chance of getting pregnant in their 20s. This is the time when you have the highest number of good quality eggs available and your pregnancy risks are lowest. At age 25, your odds of conceiving after 3 months of trying are just under 20 percent .
Age and Male Fertility
Peak male fertility is around 25-29 years old. Sperm quality begins to decline at 30. At 45, men begin to experience a significant decrease in semen volume. Older men can also take longer to conceive a child.
Pregnancy rates decrease with paternal age. Men will generally see a 52% decrease in fertility rate between their early 30s and their mid-to-late 30s. Time to conception. Compared to men 25 years or younger, men 45 years or older are 12.5 times more likely to take over two years to conceive.
That being said, there are studies (linked below) that show that men are most fertile in the mornings and during winter months. One study suggests that the volume of sperm found in the testicles is higher in the morning, this is hypothesized for a number of reasons.
For some parents, infancy is the hardest. For others, it's toddlerhood. Some parents feel that the preschool years present special challenges.
Although parents did see how being younger than 30 might be the optimal biological age for having children, they saw beyond age 35 as superior socially. For instance, the study reported some “older parents” found that interacting with other “younger” parents made them more culturally in the loop.
The risk of chromosomal abnormality increases with maternal age. The chance of having a child affected by Down syndrome increases from about 1 in 1,250 for a woman who conceives at age 25, to about 1 in 100 for a woman who conceives at age 40.
Based on the study findings, they suggest the optimal time between giving birth and getting pregnant again is 18 months, with a range of 12 to 24 months.
Higher The Age, Higher The Risk
The chances of miscarriage and having children with abnormalities and down syndrome are very high in women conceiving after 35 years of age. The chances of multiple births also are higher in late pregnancies.
By 3 months, they will smile back at you. By 4 to 6 months, they will turn to you and expect you to respond when upset. By 7 or 8 months, they will have a special response just for you (they may also be upset by strangers). Your baby may also start to respond to your stress, anger or sadness.
Newborn babies do not begin to prefer mother, father or anyone at first. In fact, it usually takes infants until they're about 2 or 3 months old before they start to show a strong preference for mother, father or anyone. While a baby is primed for social interaction soon after birth, its abilities are pretty limited.
Essentially, the evidence we have suggests that having children can make you happier. It also can make you feel unhappy, or constantly stressed, or anxious, and so on. Overall, it seems like having children makes your emotional experiences more intense than if you don't have them.
Research has found that older parents tend to be more positive in their parenting roles. 4 That positive parenting attitude may translate into kids that grow up to have fewer behavioral, social or emotional difficulties.
In short, yes (Harris 2019, NICE 2013). Although most men are able to have children well into their 50s and beyond, it becomes gradually more difficult after the age of 40 . There are many reasons for this, including: Sperm quality tends to decrease with age.
If you need a little reassurance that it's not too late, consider this: Twice as many dads of newborns are now in the 40-plus age group, compared to the 1970s. Of the roughly 4 million births each year in the U.S., about 9 percent of fathers are over 40.
To date, no behavioral activity of the parents or environmental factor is known to cause Down syndrome. After much research on these cell division errors, researchers know that: In the majority of cases, the extra copy of chromosome 21 comes from the mother in the egg.