Abstract
Previous research has shown an association between paternal age and neonatal mortality controlling for age of mother and other confounding factors. As this association is possibly of a biological nature, one would also expect to find a significant relationship between paternal age and fœtal mortality,stillbirth in particular. The present research is based on a Czech individual data set for the period 1986–1990. The risk of stillbirth is examined using logistic regression, taking account of both parental ages, sex of the fœtus, birth order, prematurity, and education of parents. It is shown that, in this data set, there is a significant relation between age of father and risk of stillbirth.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Adams, M., 2001. 'Validity of birth certificate data for the outcome of the previous pregnancy, Georgia 1980-1995'. American Journal of Epidemiology 154(10): 883-888.
Bordson, B. and Sears Leonardo, V., 1991. 'The appropriate upper age limit for semen donors: a review of the genetic effects of paternal age'. Fertility and Sterility 56(3): 397-401.
de La Rochebrochard, E. and Thonneau, P., 2002. 'Paternal age and maternal age are risk factors for miscarriage; results of a multicentre European study'. Human Reproduction 17(6): 1649-1656.
Elwood, J. M., 1988. Causal Relationships in Medicine. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Foix-L'Hélias, L. and Blondel, B., 2000. 'Changes in risk factors of preterm delivery in France between 1981 and 1995'. Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology 14(4): 314-323.
Frattini, M. O., Debroise, C., Gaucher, I., Guillou-Masse, M. A., Lefeuvre, O., Letord, F., Mongredien, A., Simplot, V., Henninger, D. and Giraud, J. R., 1993. 'Etude des causes des interruptions thérapeutiques de grossesse, de mortinatalité et de mortalité néonatale en région Bretagne, Année 1991'. Journal de Gynécologie Obstétrique et Biologie de la Reproduction 22: 856-863.
Gavrilov, L. A. and Gavrilova, N. S., 2001. 'Biodemographic study of familial determinants of human longevity'. Population-An English Selection 13(1): 197-222.
Gavrilov, L. A., Gavrilova, N. S., Kroutko, V. N., Evdokushkina, G. N., Semyonova, V. G., Gavrilova, A. L., Lapshin, E. V., Evdokushkina, N. N. and Kushnareva, Y. E., 1997. 'Mutation load and human longevity'. Mutation Research 377: 61-62.
Gourbin, C., 2002. 'La mortalité foetale', in G. Caselli, J. Vallin and G. Wunsch (eds.), Démographie: analyse et synthèse, Vol II. Les déterminants de la fécondité, pp. 211-249. Paris: Editions de l'INED.
Gourbin, C. and Wunsch, G., 1999. 'Age differentials in infant mortality'. Genus LV(1-2): 61-72.
Lian, Z. H., Zack, M. M. and Erickson, J. D., 1986. 'Paternal age and the occurrence of birth defects'. American Journal of Human Genetics 39: 648-660.
Macfarlane, A. and Mugford, M., 1984. Birth Counts: Statistics of Pregnancy and Childbirth. London: HMSO.
Morabia, A., 1996. Epidémiologie causale. Genève: Editions Médecine et Hygiène.
Murdoch, J. L., Walker, B. A. and McKusick, V. A., 1972. 'Parental age affects on the occurrence of new mutations for the Marfan syndrome'. Annals of Human Genetics 35: 331-336.
Plas, E., Berger, P., Hermann, M. and Pfluger, H., 2000. 'Effects of aging on male fertility?'. Experimental Gerontology 35(5): 543-551.
Risch, N., Reich, E. W., Wishnick, M. and McCarthy, J. G., 1987. 'Spontaneous mutation and parental age in humans'. American Journal of Human Genetics 41: 218-248.
Romero-Maldonado, S., Quezada-Salazar, C. A., Lopez-Barrera, M. D. and Arroyo-Cabrales, L. M., 2002. 'Efecto de riesgo en el hijo de madre con edad avanzada'. Ginecologia y Obstetricia de Mexico 70: 295-302.
Rychtaříková, J., 2002. The Case of the Czech Republic. Determinants of the Recent Favourable Turnover in Mortality. First seminar of the IUSSP Committee on Emerging Health Threats: Determinants of Diverging Trends in Mortality. Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock.
Sobotík, Z. and Rychtaříková, J., 1992. '--Úmrtnost a vzdělání v České republice' (Mortality and Education in the Czech Republic). Demografie 34(2): 97-105.
Spira, A., Ducot, B., Guihard-Moscato, M.-L., Job-Spira, N., Mayaux, M. J., Ménétrier, J. and Wattiaux, J., 1993. 'Conception probability and pregnancy outcome in relation to age, cycle regularity, and timing of intercourse', in R. Gray, H. Leridon and A. Spira (eds.), Biomedical and Demographic Determinants of Reproduction, pp. 271-284. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Waldron, I., 1983. 'The role of genetic and biological factors in sex differences in mortality', in A. Lopez and L. Ruzicka (eds.), Sex Differentials in Mortality: Trends, Determinants and Consequences, pp. 141-164. Australian National University, Department of Demography, Miscellaneous Series no4, Canberra.
Wunsch, G. and Gourbin, C., 2002. 'Parents' age at birth of their offspring and child survival'. Social Biology 49(1-2): 44-54.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Rychtaříková, J., Gourbin, C. & Wunsch, G. Paternal Age and Child Death: The Stillbirth Case. European Journal of Population 20, 23–33 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:EUJP.0000014514.52745.54
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:EUJP.0000014514.52745.54