Teenage fathers have babies with birth problems


Teenage fathers have babies with birth problems
Teenage fathers carry an increased risk of adverse birth outcomes, whereas advanced paternal age is not an independent risk factor for adverse birth outcomes, revealed by researchers in a study published in Human Reproduction.

Most previous studies on the effect of paternal age have focused on the association of advanced paternal age with congenital anomalies. The objective of this study was to determine whether paternal age is associated with the risk of adverse birth outcomes, independent of maternal confounders.

Researchers carried out a retrospective cohort study of 2 614 966 live singletons born to married, nulliparous women aged 20–29 years between 1995 and 2000 in the USA. The data used in this study were derived from the 1995–2000 linked birth/infant death database of the USA, which was based on live births and infant deaths up to 1 year of age registered in the 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Compared with infants born to fathers aged 20–29 years, infants fathered by teenagers (<20 years old) had an increased risk of
- preterm birth,
- low birth weight,
- small-for-gestational-age births,
- low Apgar score,
- neonatal mortality and post-neonatal mortality.

Advanced paternal age (40 years) was not associated with the risk of adverse birth outcomes.

Researchers concluded "Our population-based retrospective cohort study indicated that being a teenage father was an independent risk factor for adverse birth outcomes, whereas advanced paternal age was not. The paternal influence of younger fathers on adverse birth outcomes clearly warrants further investigation, and may lead to a deeper understanding of the etiology of such outcomes".

Paternal age and adverse birth outcomes: teenager or 40+, who is at risk? - Xi-Kuan Chen1, Shi Wu Wen1, Daniel Krewski, Nathalie Fleming, Qiuying Yang1, and Mark C. Walker

(Published at Health News Track on February 7, 2008 - 334 days ago)

Reproduction article/news source:

Human Reproduction - read other health news articles from Human Reproduction and health news articles from UK.

Reproduction - search related terms:

Apgar score, Baby, Birth, Birth weight, Father, Infant, Maternal, Neonatal, Paternal, Preterm birth,


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Teenage fathers are at increased risk of having babies born with birth problems ranging from pre-term delivery or low birth weight, through to death in or near to the time of delivery, according to new research.
Reproduction
Reproduction is the process by which offspring are formed and genetic material is passed on from one generation to the next. In humans, reproduction is sexual.

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