What are the risks of being an elderly father?

It is an indisputable fact that raising children is one of the hardest jobs in the world. But many parents say that it is also the most amazing feeling in the world! However, the practice involved in being a parent has changed a lot over the course of the historical process. One such changing practice is the age at which parents become parents! Today, there is a significant increase in the number of men who have children, especially in old age.

World famous 83-year-old American actor Al Pacino recently joined the caravan of “old fathers” holding his fourth child in his arms. Pacino’s joy at becoming a father for the fourth time has sparked some discussion about having a child at an advanced age. So what are the risks of becoming a father in old age? Science has a lot to say about this. Let’s look at the details together.

Today there is a significant increase in the number of people who become fathers at an older age.

Many men, including world famous names such as Al Pacino and Robert De Niro, are members of the old fathers club. In short, when examining historical data, it is found that there are significant changes in parenting age, just as there are in parenting roles.

At the same time, the average age of “primiparous fathers” is increasing.

According to research, the average age of first-time fathers increased by 3.5 years between 1972 and 2015. In the United States, for example, the average age of people who first experience the joy of fatherhood is 30.9 years. 9 percent of American men experience the joy of fatherhood for the first time at age 40.

In the United States, for example, the number of fathers under 30 has decreased by 27 percent since 1970.

The number of people with children aged 45-49 has increased by almost 50 percent. In other words, Robert De Niro having a fourth child at 83 or having a seventh child at 79 is not an extreme example given today’s parenting age norms! But fatherhood in old age brings with it many problems.

In 2022, scientists from the University of Utah conducted a comprehensive study on the risks of becoming a father in old age.

Researchers have found that fatherhood at an advanced age has some consequences that can jeopardize the pregnancy process. According to studies, the quality of sperm in men between the ages of 40 and 50; significantly reduced in number, density, mobility and mutations. For this reason, the age of the future father is closely related to the risk of miscarriage during pregnancy.

Fatherhood at an advanced age can cause many negative health outcomes for a child.

This is according to researchers from the University of Utah. “Increasingly, older fatherhood or motherhood is associated with child health problems.” uses the phrase.

Scientific studies show that children of older fathers are much more likely to suffer from achondroplasia, a form of dwarfism. Unfortunately, this is not the only risk of becoming a father in old age.

Older children have an increased risk of developing cancer and cardiovascular disease, according to a Stanford University study.

Weight problems and seizures are among the problems that these children may face.

Among the risks of being a father in old age is also the transmission of DNA damage due to old age to the next generation.

All of this research into the risks of being a father in old age has also significantly changed people’s perceptions of fertility. Because in many different societies around the world, the practice of focusing on the woman and the age of the woman has been dominant in couples experiencing pregnancy problems. However, these studies show that the age of the father is also a very important factor in the pregnancy process.

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