The age of fathers in the USA is rising: an analysis of 168 867 480 births from 1972 to 2015
Level 3 - non-randomized controlled study
Retrospective population-based registry cohort analysis
OpenAlex W2750987780 · doi:10.1093/humrep/dex267
What was done
Researchers conducted a retrospective analysis of paternal age and reporting patterns for 168,867,480 live births in the United States from 1972 to 2015 using data from the CDC's National Vital Statistics System (NVSS). Inverse probability weighting was used to reduce bias from missing paternal records.
What was found
Over the 44-year period, mean paternal age increased from 27.4 to 30.9 years, while the paternal-maternal age difference decreased. Older paternal age was associated with college education and Northeastern birth states. Asian fathers were the oldest and Black fathers were the youngest. Births to Black and Native American mothers most frequently lacked paternal data, whereas paternal reporting was higher among older and more educated mothers.
Why it matters
This study provides comprehensive national demographic evidence of a steady increase in US paternal age across four decades, highlighting demographic shifts relevant to reproductive health and offspring outcomes.
Limits
Findings rely on birth certificate records subject to missing paternal information, which may introduce reporting bias despite inverse probability weighting. The abstract does not quantify specific age breakdowns or rate changes for subgroup categories, nor does it evaluate direct health outcomes.
Cited by
- supports In the United States, approximately 10% to 11% of children have no medically acknowledged paternity on birth records.