Paternal age as a risk factor for congenital malformations

Abstract

The role of advanced maternal age as a risk factor for congenital malformations in offspring is known. However, the influence of paternal age is not clear. To evaluate the association between advanced paternal age and the risk for congenital malformations. Analysis of maternal and paternal age of cases (malformed newborns) and controls from ECLAMC Database (Latin American Collaborative Study of Congenital Malformations) registered at the University of Chile Clinical Hospital during the decade from Jan 1 1997 to Dec 31 2006. Newborns and stillborns were grouped according to maternal age into 6 intervals. In each interval, paternal ages of cases and controls were compared. The inverse procedure was performed to assess maternal age effect. Other variables as gestational age and birth weight were analyzed for the intervals of maternal and paternal ages. No significant differences were observed in paternal age between cases and controls in any of the intervals of maternal age. However, mean maternal age was higher for cases than for controls (p =0,0149). Gestational age and birth weight depend more on being case or control than on the age of parents. No differences in paternal age were observed between cases and controls in this series of newborns.