Men also have a biological body clock, and should also consider age when it comes to becoming a parent, a new study has found.
Men who delay fatherhood should consult their doctor and consider banking sperm before the age of 35, according to researchers at Rutgers University.
The study published in the journal Maturitas reviewed 40 years of research of the effect of parental age on fertility, pregnancy and the health of children.
It showed that advanced age in men starting a family may a “similar impact” to that of older mothers, affecting the health of female partners and children from declines in testosterone with age, sperm degradation and poorer semen quality.
"While it is widely accepted that physiological changes that occur in women after 35 can affect conception, pregnancy and the health of the child, most men do not realize their advanced age can have a similar impact," said study author Gloria Bachmann of the Women's Health Institute at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.
"While women tend to be more aware and educated than men about their reproductive health, most men do not consult with physicians unless they have a medical or fertility issue," she added.
The study found that men who are 45 and older can experience decreased fertility and put their partners at risk of increased pregnancy complications such as gestational diabetes, preeclampsia and preterm birth.
Babies born to older fathers were also found to be at higher risk of premature birth, late still birth, low Apgar scores and low birth weight.
There is also an increased likelihood of newborn seizures and birth defects such as congenital heart disease and cleft palate, the study says.
As the infants grow, they could also face a higher chance of childhood cancers, psychiatric and cognitive disorders and autism.
Bachman said: “In addition to advancing paternal age being associated with an increased risk of male infertility, there appears to be other adverse changes that may occur to the sperm with aging.
“For example, just as people lose muscle strength, flexibility and endurance with age, in men, sperm also tend to lose 'fitness' over the life cycle."
The study also found that older men struggled with fertility issues even if their partner was under 25.
