Parental Age And The Risk Of Childhood Cancer

While it is possible to get pregnant naturally or through In vitro fertilization (IVF) at the age of 40 years and above, several studies have pointed out that it comes with high risk as it may lead to an increased risk of their child developing paediatric cancer and other ailments.

For instance, a study conducted by researchers at the University of Denmark and University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) corroborated this fact, even as it revealed that the age at which couples are having babies may lead to an increased risk of their children developing paediatric cancer.

The study examined 5,856 cancer cases of Danish children who were diagnosed before the age of 16. Parental age was gathered from the Central Population Registry and was stratified into groups by the researchers: under 25 years old; 25 to 29; 30 to 34; 35 to 39; 40 to 45; and 45 years of age and older.

Findings of the study revealed that there was an increase in leukemia diagnoses, especially acute lymphoblastic leukemia, among children whose parents were older than 35.

Corroborating the findings of the study, the managing director, Nordica Fertility Centre, Dr. Abayomi Ajayi, while speaking with LEADERSHIP at a webinar, said according to the Office for National Statistics, United Kingdom, it is clear that women from 40 years and above can get pregnant and give birth.

However, whether natural or through IVF, Ajayi said pregnancy at 40 years and above is considered a high risk, especially if the woman has medical condition like high blood pressure, which may increase her risk of a pregnancy complication called preeclampsia.

If she succeeds in giving birth, the child may end up having cancer, birth defects such as Down syndrome and low birth weight etc, Ajayi explained.

“Pregnancy above 40s is high risk as the women can develop high blood pressure, diabetes, premature delivery, risk of Caesarean Section (CS) and elective CS, which might affect the baby. Children born by older women have higher risk of having cancer and neurocognitive disorder like autism and Down syndrome etc,” he stated.

The fertility expert stated that it is good to know these risks before getting pregnant as it will enable the woman to plan and overcome the risks, which are surmountable.

For instance, the Non Invasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT), a method of determining the risk that the foetus will be born with certain genetic abnormalities, has cut down the need for abdominal paracentesis to about 80 per cent to 90 per cent.

“So it is good to do pre-conception counselling, to know the condition already present and if you have health conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes, your doctor will know what to do to save your life. The doctor will also conduct NIPT test, which requires drawing blood from the pregnant woman and does not pose any risk to the foetus.

“NIPT is most often used to look for chromosomal disorders that are caused by the presence of an extra or missing copy (aneuploidy) of a chromosome. NIPT primarily looks for Down syndrome (trisomy 21, caused by an extra chromosome 21), trisomy 18 (caused by an extra chromosome 18), trisomy 13 (caused by an extra chromosome 13), and extra or missing copies of the X chromosome and Y chromosome (the sex chromosomes). The accuracy of the test varies by disorder.

“NIPT includes screening for additional chromosomal disorders that are caused by missing (deleted) or copied (duplicated) sections of a chromosome and it is also used to test for genetic disorders that are caused by changes (variants) in single genes,” Ajayi explained.

As a fertility expert, Ajayi advised women in their 20s who are not ready for marriage, to preserve their eggs. However, while the eggs will be viable when she wants to use them even at age 40, Ajayi stated that it does not minimize the risks associated with getting pregnant at 40 years and above. The chances of developing complications will still be high as the body gets older, he added.

On surrogacy, the fertility expert disclosed that if the woman carrying another woman’s baby has some ailments, the ailments will not be transferred to the baby, adding that it is only the husband that is genetically related to the baby.

He advised women who are above 45 years and want to get pregnant to go for IVF, of which they can use their eggs or that of donor. “However, it is better to use donor eggs to increase success rate,” he added.

Ajayi however reiterated that, “The fact is people are getting pregnant at 40s and is more common today. But knowing the implications involved, knowing whether you are ready, knowing the risks and how to mitigate the, is advisable.”