Friday, June 17, 2011

Consult if you are above the age of 40 and planning to become a father

19th June is Father’s Day: Medically, both men and women should complete their child bearing commitment before the age of 40 to minimize the effects of age on fertility and pregnancy outcome.
Age of sperm donors as per recommendations should be less than 40 years of age. This age is 45years in UK.
 With advancing age of the father, chances of having a child with schizophrenia are also increased. Chances of mutation occurring in the gene are also higher if the age of the father is more than 40.
 The risk of producing a child with mongolism is also higher if the age of the father is more than 40 and age of the mother is more than 35.
  Some studies have shown that if the age of the father is more than 40, chances of child having autism are also higher.
 Advance parental age is also associated with many autosomal dominant mutations including short stature of child and marfan syndrome.
  A study which included over 55 million births observed that 1.5% of them had a birth defect when the age of the father was more than 40.
 An advance parental age is also associated with more risks of abortions. 
About the author: Padmashri & Dr. B.C. Roy National Awardee, Dr. KK Aggarwal is a Senior Consultant, Physician, Cardiologist at Delhi based Moolchand Medcity; President Heart Care Foundation of India; Chairman Ethical Committee Delhi Medical Council and has served as the Research and Academic Wing Heads of National Indian Medical Association.

 

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