Paternal age and perinatal outcomes: an observational study

Anjeza Xholli; Ambrogio P. Londero; Elena Magnetti; Sabrina Vadrucci; Isabella Neri; Gaia Marcantognini; Anna Luna Tramontano; Francesca Monari; Angelo Cagnacci

doi:10.1515/jpm-2023-0205

Article

Paternal age and perinatal outcomes: an observational study

Anjeza Xholli , Ambrogio P. Londero , Elena Magnetti , Sabrina Vadrucci , Isabella Neri , Gaia Marcantognini , Anna Luna Tramontano , Francesca Monari and Angelo Cagnacci

Published/Copyright: August 21, 2023

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From the journal Journal of Perinatal Medicine Volume 52 Issue 1

Abstract

Objectives

The study’s primary aim was to examine the relationship between paternal age and perinatal outcomes.

Methods

This study used data from two hospital birth registries to examine the association between paternal age and adverse perinatal outcomes. The sample included all live singleton births between 2010 and 2022. The primary exposure was paternal age, and the following perinatal outcomes were considered: mode of conception, mode of delivery, pregnancy complications, and neonatal outcomes.

Results

A total of 15,232 pregnant women were considered. Maternal and paternal ages were 31.9 ± 5.3 and 36.5 ± 6.5 years, respectively. Independent of maternal, paternal age was associated with lower odds of spontaneous conceptions (OR 0.930, 95 % CI 0.968/0.993; p=0.003) and higher odds of intracytoplasmatic sperm injection (OR 1.054, 95 % CI 1.045/1.062; p=0.0001), respectively. In contrast to maternal age, paternal age decreased the odds of any (OR 0.922, 95 % CI 0.985/0.999; p=0.032) and urgent/emergent (OR 0.984, 95 % CI 0.975/0.993; p=0.0001) cesarean delivery. Paternal age did not affect the gestation length, placental or neonatal weight, blood loss during delivery, and neonatal 5th-minute Apgar score.

Conclusions

Paternal age is associated with perinatal outcomes. These findings suggest that advanced paternal age may have implications for reproductive counseling and prenatal care.

Keywords: fertility; maternal age; mode of delivery; perinatal outcomes; paternal age

Corresponding author: Dr. Ambrogio P. Londero, MD, PhD, Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Infant Health, University of Genoa, Largo Rosanna Benzi, 10, 16132 Genova (GE), Italy; and Obstetrics and Gynecology Unit, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Via Gerolamo Gaslini, 5, 16147, Genova (GE), Italy, E-mail: ambrogio.londero@gmail.com

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the staff for collaborating in clinical practice and the study.

Research ethics: The local Ethical Committee approved the data analysis and publication. This study was conducted according to the Helsinki Declaration and followed the dictates of the general authorization to process personal data for scientific research purposes by the Italian Data Protection Authority.
Informed consent: Not applicable.
Author contributions: All authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this manuscript and approved its submission.
Competing interests: Authors state no conflict of interest.
Research funding: None declared.

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Received: 2023-05-19

Accepted: 2023-07-26

Published Online: 2023-08-21

Published in Print: 2024-01-29

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Articles in the same Issue

https://doi.org/10.1515/jpm-2023-0205

Keywords for this article

fertility; maternal age; mode of delivery; perinatal outcomes; paternal age