782: Advanced paternal age as an independent risk factor for adverse perinatal outcome

Objective
The association between advanced paternal age and adverse perinatal outcomes has received little attention. We examined the association between paternal age (≤40 years, 41-50 years, and ≥51 years) and composite adverse perinatal outcome in a traditional society.
Study Design
We linked sociodemographic and socioeconomic data to medical data for singleton births between August 2008 and November 2014 using cohort design. Deliveries occurred at a tertiary and a referral medical center. Composite adverse perinatal outcome was defined as the presence of at least one of the following: preterm birth (<37 weeks gestation), low birthweight (<2500 grams), small for gestational age (less than the 10th percentile for gestational age), and Apgar score <7 one minute post-birth. Multivariate logistic regression model was used to control for possible confounders.

Results
A total of 9,759 infants were born to unique mother-father pairs during the study period; 85.9% of fathers were ≤40 years old, 11.1% were 41-50 years old, and 3.0% were 51 years or older. Higher rates of composite adverse perinatal outcome were observed with increasing paternal age (17.5%, 19.0% and 20.5% among paternal age groups ≤40, 41-50, and ≥51 respectively, X2=2.975, p=0.226, table). Upon adjustment for maternal age, parity, and social and obstetric history factors, advanced paternal age was a significant independent risk factor for composite adverse perinatal outcome (adjusted OR=1.44, 95%CI=1.14-1.81, p=0.002 for paternal age group 41-50; adjusted OR=1.76, 95%CI=1.12-2.77, p=0.014 for paternal age group ≥51; with age group ≤40 serving as reference category).
Conclusion
Advanced paternal age is independently associated with adverse perinatal outcome. Further research should be conducted in order to illuminate possible mechanisms for this association.