Men's ticking 'biological clock' may put partner, kids at health risk: Study

Men too have a ticking "biological clock" -- just like women -- say scientists who have found that older fathers may put the health of their partners and unborn children at risk.

The study, published in the journal Maturitas, which reviewed 40 years of research on the effect of parental age on fertility, pregnancy and the health of children.

"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 realise their advanced age can have a similar impact," said Gloria Bachmann, from Rutgers University in the US.

While the medical profession has no clearly accepted definition of when advanced paternal age begins -- it ranges from 35 to 45 -- infants born to fathers over 45 have risen 10 per cent in the US over the past 40 years, likely due to assisted reproductive technology.

The study found that men 45 and older can experience decreased fertility and put their partners at risk for ...