- Experts say ignoring the biological clock is a problem for both men and women
- Men are more likely to delay fatherhood because of their careers and finances
- Poorer sperm quality after the age of 40 can increase the risk of miscarriage
Career-oriented men have been warned that they are at almost as much risk as women if they leave it too late to start a family.
Despite the fact that Al Pacino (83) and Robert De Niro (80) have become fathers again, fertility experts advise men to try to get pregnant before the age of 35.
‘We always hear that career women ignore the ticking biological clock, but this is just as much a problem in men,’ says Prof. Allan Pacey from the University of Manchester, co-author of a new study.
‘Men don’t commit to becoming fathers because they aren’t ready to leave the work force, or because they think they have to earn a certain amount of money.
‘Men’s careers also mean they can’t spend enough time having frequent sex, making them less likely to get their partner pregnant.’
Never too late: Al Pacino, 83, had a son, Roman, in June with girlfriend Noor Alfallah, 29
The study, published in the journal Nature Reviews Urology, warns men who try to get pregnant after age 40 that their poorer sperm quality could increase the risk of miscarriage.
If they are over 50, their babies are at greater risk for autism and schizophrenia.
Pacino had a son, Roman, with girlfriend Noor Alfallah, 29, in June, and De Niro had a daughter, Gia, with girlfriend Tiffany Chen, 45, in April.
Robert De Niro, 80, and his girlfriend Tiffany Chen, 45, welcomed their first child together in April, marking Robert’s seventh time as a father