Paint and Birth Defects

  I am approaching 40 years old and for the last several months my husband and I have been trying to conceive a baby.  He has been spending a lot of time the last month painting with oil based paints and varnish in a poorly ventilated garage.  I am wondering if the chemicals in the paints could cause birth defects in a fetus if I were to become pregnant next month.  Because of my age and eagerness to become pregnant, I don't want to put off trying to get pregnant unless there is a increased risk of birth defects.   Should we wait to try to concieve (conceive) and if so, how long?

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Your husband's exposure to paint fumes would not be expected to produce birth defects. Obviously, the male contribution to pregnancy (in strictly physiologic terms) is his chromosomes. I am not aware that paints are associated with permanent chromosomal damage in male sperm cells.
On the other hand, I would recommend that you avoid excessive exposure to fumes after pregnancy occurs. Some organic solvents may increase the risk of miscarriage with heavy exposures. At any rate, this gives you a good excuse not to help with the painting chores.