Men should consider storing their sperm before they reach the age of 35, a new fertility study suggested.

The research revealed that those who become father after this age are likely to transfer health problems to their children or partners, including gestational diabetes and preeclampsia in pregnancy, premature birth, stillbirth, low birth weight and newborn seizures.

“While it is widely accepted that physiological changes that occur in women after 35 can affect conception, pregnancy and the health of the child, most men do not realise their advanced age can have a similar impact,” says Gloria Bachman, the lead author of the study, which was conducted by Rutgers University and published in the journal Maturitas.

“In addition to advancing paternal age being associated with an increased risk of male infertility, there appears to be other adverse changes that may occur to the sperm with ageing,” she adds. “For example, just as people lose muscle strength, flexibility and endurance with age, in men, sperm also tend to lose ‘fitness’ over the life cycle.”