Late parenthood is dangerous: scientists have found out the age limit

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Conceiving a child from a man over 45 is associated with increased risks for the woman and the fetus.

Scientists from Rutgers University in the USA came to this conclusion. Experts analyzed medical and scientific data obtained over the past 40 years to find out how the age of parents affects their fertility (the ability to create offspring), the likelihood of conception and the health of children.

“While it is generally accepted that physiological changes that occur in women after 35 can affect conception, pregnancy and the health of the child, most men are not aware that their age can have a similar effect,” notes the co-author of the study.

Her team found that over the past 40 years, in the United States alone, the number of children born to fathers over 45 has increased by 10%. Meanwhile, “old paternal age” is often estimated by doctors at 35-45 years, although there is no clear definition of this concept.

In men aged 45 and older, as the researchers found, fertility may be reduced. They put their mothers at risk of pregnancy complications such as gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and premature birth.

Children of older parents are more likely to be born with low birth weight and have lower Apgar scores, which are used to quickly assess the condition of a newborn.