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By Suzanne Rostler
NEW YORK, Mar 07 (Reuters Health) - Women who delay childbirth are at increased risk of having a son with a relatively common abnormality of the penis, researchers report.
Hypospadias occurs when the urinary outlet is not located on the tip of the penis, but is on the underside of the head of the penis. The condition varies in severity and can be corrected with surgery. If left untreated, hypospadias can raise the risk of urination and sexual function problems later on.
The study in the March issue of the Journal of Urology found an increase in the risk of severe cases among boys born to mothers older than 35 years, compared with mothers younger than 20 years. Women 35 and older had a 20% higher risk overall of having a baby with hypospadias, the report indicates.
The researchers analyzed the incidence or hypospadias according to maternal age among women in New York State and California between 1983 and 1996. The investigators found that there were 1.2 to 3.1 cases of hypospadias per 1,000 births in women under 20 compared with 1.8 to 3.7 cases per 1,000 women over 35 or older.
"Maternal age may be the single most important factor besides the genetic (profile) of the father and mother," lead author Dr. Harry Fisch from Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center in New York City told Reuters Health.
"It is important for women to understand what the implications (of delayed childbearing) are," Fisch said.
The cause of hypospadias is unclear, but some researchers speculate that exposure to certain environmental pollutants and phytoestrogens in soy foods may contribute to the risk.
SOURCE: Journal of Urology 2001;165:934-936.
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