Al Pacino has welcomed his fourth child at 83. There are pros and cons to having an older dad.

• Al Pacino welcomed his fourth child at the age of 83.

• A baby with an older dad has a higher risk of developing certain health conditions.

• But the child can benefit from having a more established parent.

Al Pacino and his girlfriend have welcomed his fourth child, according to his publicist.

The 83-year-old actor's publicist, Stan Rosenfield, confirmed to Insider on Friday that Pacino's girlfriend Noor Alfallah, 29, gave birth to a boy. The couple named him Roman.

Pacino already has 22-year-old twins — Oliva and Anton James Pacino — with Hollywood actress Beverly D'Angelo, and a 33-year-old daughter — Julie Marie — with acting coach, Jan Tarrant.

The news comes weeks after his 79-year-old "The Godfather" co-star Robert De Niro announced the birth of his seventh child.

Although relatively rare, it is of course possible for men to conceive later life — unlike women who aren't able to after menopause, which usually happens around age 50 — but it carries certain risks.

Older dads can have lower sperm quality

After a man turns 50, his sperm tends to be of lower quality. This is because the testicles become smaller and softer, sperm becomes slower and disfigured, there is a lower blood supply to the genitals, and testosterone levels decrease, according to WebMD.

Because of this, evidence suggests a child born to an older dad is at a higher likelihood of having a genetic disorder, such as Down syndrome, and the risk level increases the older he gets.

The child may also be at higher risk of having conditions such as schizophrenia or autism.

Older sperm can also mean the baby may be born prematurely, and therefore at a higher risk of needing support with breathing, intravenous antibiotics, and illnesses related to breathing, Insider previously reported.

Babies with older dads may also be at a higher risk of having a low birth weight, which can put the child at risk of having seizures and needing to be put on oxygen.

Older dads are usually more established 

However, having an older dad can come with perks too. Older people tend to be more established in their careers and therefore have more money to raise a child, Emily Pardy, a licensed marriage and family therapist based in Tennessee, told AARP, a non-profit that advocates for older people. That's certainly the case for Pacino, an Oscar-winning actor.

They "usually already own a home, and a lot of other big life milestones that require a lot of time and attention and resources have been established for some time," she said.

One woman whose husband was 45 and 48 during her pregnancies previously told Insider of the pros of being an older father: he is keeping fit and healthy, and hopes to retire early and enjoy more flexibility as their kids grow up.

Read the original article on Insider