The risks associated with older fathers go beyond those obvious at birth. Other studies found that the risks of childhood leukemia, breast and prostate cancers were elevated among offspring of older fathers. Older mothers are typically meticulously screened for possible risks to a healthy pregnancy “while the father’s role in childbirth is often ignored or forgotten,” Drs. The challenges start with getting pregnant, which often takes longer when prospective fathers are older, Dr. Eisenberg told me. There are a number of possible reasons older fathers may impart health risks to unborn babies.

Source: New York Times March 25, 2019 09:00 UTC