Maternal and Paternal Age of Conception: Variability of Benefits and Risks

Older fathers are more likely to transfer de novo mutations and children of older mothers have better health and developmental outcomes.

Does the age of a mother or father at conception influence a child's health or developmental outcome? Two recent studies — one genetic and one epidemiological — add insights to this question.

In the first study, researchers compared gene sequences in mothers, fathers, and autistic or schizophrenic children in 78 Icelandic families and 1900 control families to identify de novo mutations. The number of de novo mutations in a child depended predominantly on the age of the father: a 20-year old father transmitted an estimated 25 mutations to his child and a 40-year old father transmitted 65 mutations. The number of de novo mutations increased with advanced paternal age at a rate of two new mutations per year. In contrast, mothers transmitted an …

Reviewing Author

Martin T. Stein, MD

Disclosures

Consultant / Advisory boardPearson Neuroscience Advisory Board

Speaker’s bureauAmerican Academy of Pediatrics

RoyaltiesElsevier, Inc.

Editorial boardsJournal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics