Baby Parenting Guide

Health of Baby in any way a function of the father?

It's always been pointed out that the age of motherhood can have drastic effects on the probabity of birth defects, but Is the health of a baby in any way dependant on the age of the father? Isn't the risk of genetic mutation also increased with the age of the father? Please site your source of information if possible. It's just that I've never seen any reports, studies, or warnings as there are for the age of a woman.

Public Response to Health of Baby in any way a function of the father?

1. Yes
2. I dont know about age, but I do know that a father does effect the health of the child. If a man does drugs, or drinks a lot, it can actually cause autism in the baby.
3. I think that if the father has any genetic problems with his chromosomes, the problem will pass to his child, no matter the age of the father.
4. Actually, age is a factor for both the mother and father. Even if the mother is young, an older man still has the risk of genetic problems such as down syndrome and other similar problems.
5. Age is a factor for both mother and father.
6. yes. if the man is older say 50-60 the quality of the sperm isn't as good as it would have been at 23-30.
7. Yes age of the father can effect the probability of birth defects. There would be a greater risk if the mother and the father were both old. However, Down Syndrome for instance is associated with the mother's age at the time of conception. There is no talk of the father's age at the 12 week nuchael translucency screening test, where they measure the fluid on the back of the babies neck by ultrasound. Check with your doctor if you are going to start a family and you are concerned about your age.
8. I don't know but my dad was 52 when I was born and 55 when my brother was born. Look at Hugh Heffner he was like 70 when his were born.