Children of teenage fathers are more likely to be born prematurely or to die young, new research has suggested.

A study of more than 2.5 million babies in the US found that while older paternal age had little effect on infants’ health, babies whose fathers were under 20 had a 15 per cent higher risk of prematurity and a 13 per cent higher likelihood of low birth weight.

Chances of perinatal death were also significantly higher, with a 22 per cent increased risk of death in the first four weeks of life, and a 41 per cent greater risk in the first year, said findings in the journal Human Reproduction. Sperm count and quality tend to be lower than average in younger men, which could lead to more babies being conceived with sperm that carry genetic defects, said scientists at the Ottawa Health Research Insititute in Canada. Defects may cause problems with the placenta, which develops under the control of paternal genes.

However, the young fathers were more likely to come from economically disadvantaged families who were statistically less likely to utilise prenatal care services. Other lifestyle factors could also play a part, such as smoking, drinking and illegal drug use. “These are more prevalent in teenage fathers,” said Professor Wen Shi Wu.

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