International Journal of Infertility & Fetal Medicine

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VOLUME 2 , ISSUE 3 ( September-December, 2011 ) > List of Articles

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Is Advanced Paternal Age associated with Fetal Growth and Adverse Neonatal Outcomes? A Case-Control Study

Tarakeswari Surapaneni, Manisha Dudlani

Citation Information : Surapaneni T, Dudlani M. Is Advanced Paternal Age associated with Fetal Growth and Adverse Neonatal Outcomes? A Case-Control Study. Int J Infertil Fetal Med 2011; 2 (3):109-113.

DOI: 10.5005/jp-journals-10016-1029

License: CC BY-NC 4.0

Published Online: 01-08-2014

Copyright Statement:  Copyright © 2011; The Author(s).


Abstract

Aim

To determine associations of advanced paternal age with fetal growth and adverse neonatal outcomes.

Methods

A hospital-based unmatched case-control study with random selection of controls. Fetal growth was determined by serial ultrasound measurements and growth was classified at birth by a neonatalogist based on the Lubchenco charts. Advanced paternal age was explored using two cutoffs (35 and 40 years). Likelihood ratios, unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios and the 95% confidence intervals around point estimates are presented.

Results

The study covered 218 pregnant women that included 137 (63.72%) pregnant women who delivered a live AGA/LGA baby and 78 (36.28%) pregnant women who delivered a live small for gestational age baby and 45 (20.64%) fathers with advanced paternal age based on a cutoff of ≥ 40 years and 73 (33.49%) fathers with advanced paternal age based on a age cutoff ≥ 35 years. Although advanced paternal age (both ≥ 35 and ≥ 40 years) was protective for small for gestational age babies in a bivariate analysis, the association was not significant in a multivariate regression model that adjusted for maternal age, parity, diabetes and gestational age at delivery. Advanced paternal age (both ≥ 35 and ≥ 40 years) did not show a clinically meaningful positive or negative likelihood ratio with other adverse neonatal outcomes.

Conclusion

Paternal age does not seem to be associated with fetal growth or adverse neonatal outcomes; however, a prospective cohort study is necessary to provide further evidence after controlling for potential confounders.


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