Would you be at a greater risk of having a child with autism if the mother is mid thirties in age and the father has a half brother with autism?

Answer 1

Yes. A woman's risk of having a child with autism increases with age. Women in their 30s and 40s are at a higher risk than younger women, and if the father's half-brother inherited autism from the parent that gave birth to the father then the likelihood of him passing it on is slightly increased as any family history of autism will make it more likely to appear in future generations. Though most cases of autism are relatively mild, the severity of the case cannot be predicted by past cases in the family. For instance, the father's half brother could be severely autistic, but he may still father an unaffected child, or one with a very mild case. I would contact a genetic counselor for further review. If this is not possible, contacting a gynecologist/obstetrician is a good idea because they deal with health issues of the embryo and fetus and further explore the risks.

In fact, the risk of having an autistic child increases with the father's age. The older the father is, the bigger the chance is.