Male biological clock: Men 35+ more likely to have children with genetic abnormalities, study says

When it comes to deciding the best age to have children, women aren’t the only ones with biological clocks ticking.

Men who wait until their mid-30's to start a family have a greater chance of having children with genetic abnormalities, according to a National Academy of Sciences study.

Men constantly reproduce millions of sperm, but Clinical Urology professor, Harry Fisch, M.D. said that around the mid-30’s, testosterone levels are on the decline and DNA mutations begin to occur.

Men in their 30’s are 1.5 times more likely to have a child with autism, men in their 40’s are twice as likely to have a child with schizophrenia and men in their 50’s are four times more likely to have a child with down-syndrome.

Different factors, such as weight, can greatly impact the degradation of sperm quality.

Read the Men’s Health full report by clicking here .