Fathers in the United States Are Getting Older

Abstract

This important study by Ha and colleagues 1 explores the sociodemographic trends and perinatal outcomes of fathers aged 50 years and older in the United States with children born from 2011 to 2022. 1 Using data from the National Vital Statistics System, Ha et al 1 extract data from more than 46 million US live births that occurred during this period. Ha et al 1 found that the number of births to fathers aged 50 years and older has significantly increased over the past decade. Fathers aged 50 years or older now comprise 1.3% of all US fathers, which increased from 1.1% just 10 years earlier.Advanced paternal age was associated with higher risks of adverse perinatal outcomes, including preterm birth and low birth weight, even after adjusting for maternal factors. The use of assisted reproductive technology (ART) was notably higher among older fathers, with significant reliance on