“Men are like wine–some turn to vinegar, but the best improve with age.” Pope XXIII

According to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), paternal age around the world is increasing in all populations and races. The association between having babies later and issues that come with maternal age has long been known. But what about men having babies later in life? More than a century ago, achondroplasia was recognized in last-born children. Achondroplasia is a bone growth hereditary condition where the long bones, by ossification of cartilage, result in short limbs and sometimes a face that is small in relation to the (normal-sized) skull.

Despite the celebrity Dads (such as Steve Martin, Richard Gere, and Charlie Chaplin, who all had children after 50, there is a risk of adverse health outcomes with their children.Men over 40 should discuss pregnancy with the physician when family planning.