Teenage fathers increased risk of baby complications

New research has suggested that teenage fathers are at greater risk of having a premature baby than older fathers.

A study, conducted by scientists at the Ottawa Health Research Institute in Canada, has found that teenage fathers are more likely to have babies born pre-term, with a low birth weight, while they also have increased risk of child death in or near to the time of delivery.

The report, published in the fertility journal Human Reproduction, also revealed that older fathers aged 40 and over were not at increased risk of having babies affected by such problems.

"The mechanisms by which being a teenage father may contribute to an increased risk of adverse birth outcomes are not clear," said researcher Professor Shi Wu Wen.

"Both biological and socio-economic status might play some roles in the observed findings."

With regards to the decreased risks for older fathers, he added: "The advantaged socioeconomic conditions might offset some biological risk of adverse birth outcomes associated with older fathers."

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