Can male elder childbearing transmit some genetic defects?

• Make an appointment
• Consulting price
• Online consultation

The relationship between male elderly childbearing and genetic defects

Male elder childbearing means that a man over 35 years old becomes a father. With the progress of society and the change of people's living habits, more and more men choose to postpone childbearing. However, some studies have shown that older men may bring some risks of genetic defects. This article will discuss the relationship between male elderly fertility and genetic defects from the incidence of genetic diseases, damage repair ability, sperm quality and genetic variation.

Increased incidence of genetic diseases

With the increase of age, the quality and quantity of male sperm will gradually decline. Some studies have found that there is a certain correlation between the elderly male fertility and the incidence of some genetic diseases. For example, Mendelian genetic disease is a genetic disease caused by Mendelian gene mutation. Research has found that children whose fathers are over 40 years old are three times more likely to have this disease than young fathers. Similarly, the father's elderly childbearing is also associated with the increased risk of autism, schizophrenia and other genetic diseases.

Some gene mutations may occur during spermatogenesis. As men grow older, the DNA quality and integrity of sperm will decline, which will increase the possibility of gene mutation. These gene mutations sometimes lead to genetic diseases. Therefore, some genetic defects may be passed on by the old male fertility.

Decreased ability to repair damage

With the growth of age, the ability of male cells to repair and regenerate will gradually decline. This means that once sperm is damaged, the repair ability of male reproductive system will be reduced, thus increasing the transmission risk of genetic defects. Some studies have found that the elderly male fertility is associated with an increased risk of some chromosomal abnormalities. For example, children whose fathers are over 45 years old are 30 times more likely to have Down syndrome than young fathers.

The decline of sperm quality

Sperm quality refers to the shape, quantity and vitality of sperm. The aging of male fertility will cause the decline of sperm quality. Research shows that the increase of male age is related to the increase of DNA fragmentation and the incidence of chromosomal abnormalities. These problems will affect the quality of sperm and increase the risk of genetic defects.

In addition, the number and quality of men's sperm will also decrease with age. This further increases the possibility of genetic defects. Therefore, the elderly male reproduction may pass on some genetic defects of poor sperm quality.

Increase in genetic variation

Genetic variation refers to changes in the genome, which sometimes lead to genetic diseases. The elderly male fertility is related to the increased incidence of genetic variation. The study found that the increase of father's age was related to the increase of the number and frequency of neonatal genetic variation. These genetic variations may affect the physical and intellectual development of children, increasing the risk of genetic defects.

Summary

Older males may transmit some genetic defects, which is related to the increase of the incidence of genetic diseases, the decline of damage repair ability, the decline of sperm quality and the increase of genetic variation. With the increase of age, the male reproductive system function will gradually decline, thus increasing the transmission risk of genetic defects. Therefore, when planning a family, men should also be aware of the impact of their own age on the genetic health of their offspring, and make wise decisions with the advice of doctors.