A new study suggests that both younger and older fathers may have a higher risk of having a child with Down syndrome.
Researchers analyzed data from over 2 million pregnancies in Shenzhen, China, where prenatal testing for Down syndrome has been free since 2012.
The study, published in JAMA Pediatrics, identified 2,480 cases of Down syndrome from 2,193,801 pregnancies.
The research team looked at several factors that could influence the risk of Down syndrome, including the age of both parents, the child’s gender, the mother’s education level, and her history of miscarriages.
After adjusting for these factors, they found that fathers younger than 20 and older than 40 were more likely to have a child with Down syndrome compared to fathers in their 20s and 30s.
This finding highlights that both very young and older paternal age could play a role in Down syndrome risk, although the researchers stress that more studies are needed to confirm these results.
There may be other factors influencing the risk that weren’t included in the analysis.
The study adds to previous research that has mainly focused on the mother’s age as a key factor in Down syndrome risk. However, this study suggests that paternal age may also be an important consideration.
The researchers believe that understanding how both parents’ ages influence the chances of having a child with Down syndrome could lead to better guidance for couples planning a family. They also recommend further research to explore additional factors that may affect the risk of
Down syndrome.
While this study was based on data from Shenzhen, China, the findings could have global implications and encourage more investigations into how paternal age may impact genetic outcomes.
If you care about child health, please read studies that cats may help decrease anxiety for kids with autism and new study may develop better treatment for autism
For more information about health, please see recent studies about how to eat your way to a healthy brain, and results showing this type of food may contribute to autism.
Source: Fudan University.
