Men Should 'Bank Sperm' At 18 To Help Avoid Preventable Diseases

Sperm banking should be offered free to all young men in an effort to reduce the risks associated with delayed fatherhood, a new paper published in the Journal of Medical Ethics has proposed.

Author of the paper, Dr Kevin Smith or Abertay University, made the call "in light of the emerging finding that paternal age is strongly linked to an increased incidence of neuropsychiatric disorders such as autism and schizophrenia in subsequent generations".

The paper claims that sperm can become more prone to errors with age, increasing the risk of autism, schizophrenia and other disorders.

Dr Smith suggests that "the most immediate and practical solution" is for all young men to be given the option to bank their sperm at the age of 18.

"If we truly want to prevent future generations suffering from the preventable diseases associated with the Paternal Age Effect, we need to start thinking about how to reduce the risks sooner rather than later," Dr Smith said.

"If you’re a man and you know there’s a risk that your age will increase the chances of your child having a genetic disorder, you may want to know what the best age for you to have children at is in order to reduce the risk of a genetic disorder developing in your offspring.

"From the evidence that has come to light over the past few years it is clear that earlier fatherhood is desirable in terms of maximising genetic integrity.

"However the reality is, of course, far more complex, and in establishing the 'best' age to become a father other considerations beyond genetic concerns need to be taken into account – the stigma of teenage pregnancy needs to be contended with, for example, and there are many advantages to being an older parent, such as increased financial stability and life experience.

"So we need to find a balance and, although the sperm banking option may seem fairly radical, in principle it is quite simple.”

(MH)