Does male elder childbearing increase the probability of abnormal children?
With the development of society, more and more men choose to give birth later in their old age. However, whether the birth of older men will increase the probability of abnormal children is a controversial topic. This paper will discuss this problem from four aspects: biology, medicine, genetics and empirical research.
1. Biological perspective
From the biological point of view, male fertility will gradually decline with the increase of age. Research shows that the quality and quantity of men's sperm will be affected by age. There may be more gene mutations and chromosomal abnormalities in the sperm of elderly men, which may increase the risk of children with malformations. In addition, the old age of men may also lead to premature delivery, low weight and other problems, which will also increase the probability of deformed children.
However, it should be pointed out that biology is only one aspect. Children form the combination of parental genetic genes, so not only the old age of men will increase the risk of deformed children, but also the old age of women is a factor to be considered.
2. Medical perspective
Medical research shows that the elderly male fertility does increase the risk of some deformed children. For example, the study found that when the father is over 40 years old, the risk of autism will increase significantly. In addition, older fathers are also associated with an increased risk of genetic diseases such as early-onset diabetes.
Although there are medical studies supporting the relationship between male elderly childbearing and the risk of deformed children, it should be noted that the increased risk is relatively small, and most male elderly fathers can still have healthy children.
3. Genetics
From the genetic point of view, the old age of male fertility will indeed increase the risk of children suffering from certain genetic diseases. Father's old age will increase the probability of chromosomal abnormalities, such as Down syndrome. In addition, older fathers may also pass some recessive genes to their offspring, increasing the possibility of disease.
However, it should be pointed out that genetic diseases are not only affected by the old age of the father, but also by the mother's genes. Therefore, the old age of men cannot be simply blamed as the only factor for the risk of deformed children.
4. Empirical research perspective
Many empirical studies also support the correlation between male elderly childbearing and the risk of deformed children. For example, a study by Karolinska Medical College in Sweden found that when a father is over 45 years old, the risk of congenital heart disease at birth increases; A study by the University of California, Los Angeles, found that when a father is over 35 years old, the risk of mental illness or mental retardation increases.
Despite the support of these empirical studies, it should be noted that these research results are only probabilistic, and the occurrence of malformed children is very complex and affected by a variety of factors. Therefore, we cannot simply regard the elderly male as the only factor for children suffering from malformed children.
summary
To sum up, the elderly male fertility may increase the risk of abnormal children, which is mainly due to the influence of factors such as male reproductive capacity decline, chromosome abnormalities, gene mutations, etc. However, it needs to be emphasized that the elderly childbearing of men is not the only factor for deformed children, and the elderly childbearing of women cannot be ignored. In addition, although the increased risk exists, most male elderly fathers can still have healthy children.
