Maternal and Paternal Age

The average age women have their first child differs between countries but overall, across Europe maternal age is increasing. The risk of specific types of congenital anomaly differs by maternal age. For some anomalies the risk is greater at a younger age, while for other anomalies the risk is greater at an older age.

For example, the relationship between maternal age and chromosomal anomalies is well known: the risk of chromosomal anomalies increases from around 0.2% with a maternal age of 20 to around 5% with a maternal age of 45. On the other hand, the risk of gastroschisis is greater with younger maternal age. More recently, studies have also focused on risks associated with paternal age. Higher paternal age is associated with an increased risk of genetic disorders.

What do EUROCAT data tell us about the effects of parental age?

EUROCAT data has been used to evaluate the overall risk of non-chromosomal anomalies for specific maternal age brackets, across different European countries, finding teenage mothers are at greatest risk1.

Studies using EUROCAT data have helped contribute to the scientific knowledge on the associations between specific anomalies and maternal age. For example, studies using EUROCAT data have found small increased risks of anencephaly2, atresia of the small intestine3, vascular disruption anomalies4, schizencephaly5, and septo-optic dysplasia6, with younger maternal age; and small increased risks of Pierre-Robin sequence7, and cardiac defects8 with older maternal age. Further investigation is required to confirm or refute these associations.

EUROCAT data has also added to evidence that specific anomalies do not have an association with maternal age, for example hypospadias9.

Some studies using EUROCAT data have also investigated the role of paternal age. For example, the increased risk of the genetic disorder achondroplasia10, and of the chromosomal syndrome Klinefelter11, with increasing paternal age.

Relevant EUROCAT publications

 

  1. Loane M, Dolk H, Morris JK, et. al. (2009) “Maternal age-specific risk of non-chromosomal anomalies”. BJOG, Vol 116, pp 1111-9

  2. EUROCAT central registry (2010) “EUROCAT special report: Prevalence of Neural Tube Defects in younger mothers in Europe 2000-2008: Analysis of the EUROCAT database”

  3. Best KE, Tennant PWG, Marie-Claude A, et.al (2012) “Epidemiology of small intestinal atresia in Europe: a register based study”. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed, Vol 97, pp F353-8

  4. Morris JK, Wellesley D, Limb E, et. al. (2022) “Prevalence of vascular disruption anomalies and association with younger maternal age: A EUROCAT study to compare the United Kingdom with other European countries”. Birth Defects Res, Vol 114, pp 1417-1426

  5. Howe DT, Rankin J, Draper S, et. al. (2012) “Schizencephaly prevalence, prenatal diagnosis and clues to etiology: a register-based study”. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol, Vol 39, pp 75-82

  6. Garne E, Rissmann A, Addor MC, et. al. (2018) “Epidemiology of septo-optic dysplasia with a focus on prevalence and maternal age – A EUROCAT study”. Eur J Med Genet, Vol 61, pp 483-488

  7. Santoro M, Coi A, Barisic I, et. al. (2021) “Epidemiology of Pierre-Robin sequence in Europe: A population-based EUROCAT study”. Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol, Vol 35, pp 530-539

  8. Mamosoula C, Bigirumurame T, Chadwick T, et. al (2023) “Maternal age and the prevalence of congenital heart defects in Europe, 1995-2015: A register-based study”. Birth Defects Res, Vol 115, pp 583-594

  9. Bergman JE, Loane M, Vrijheid M, et. al. (2015) “Epidemiology of hypospadias in Europe; a register-based study”. World J Urol, Vol 33, pp 2159-67

  10. Coi A, Santoro M, Garne E, et. al. (2019) “Epidemiology of achondroplasia: A population-based study in Europe”. Am J Med Genet A, Vol 179, pp 1791-1798

  11. De Souza E, Morris JK, et. al. (2010) “Case-control analysis of paternal age and trisomic anomalies”. Archives of Disease in Childhood, Vol 95, pp 893-897