Table of Contents
Down syndrome is a condition in which extra genetic material causes delays in the way a child develops, and often leads to learning difficulties. It affects 1 in every 800 babies born.
Down syndrome is a condition in which extra genetic material causes delays in the way a child develops, and often leads to learning difficulties. It affects 1 in every 800 babies born.
Some people have an increased chance of having a baby with Down syndrome, and they may consider whether to make use of the prenatal screening for Down syndrome which is available. There are several different prenatal screening procedures including a relatively simple, noninvasive screening test that examines a drop of the mother's blood to determine if there is an increased likelihood for Down syndrome. There is no cure for Down syndrome, nor is there any prevention for the chromosomal events that cause Down syndrome, but the additional medical needs of people with Down syndrome can be managed.
Incidence of Down syndrome
The incidence of Down syndrome is estimated at 1 per 800 births, about 95
percent of which are trisomy 21, making it the most common human aneuploidy — genetic disorder with the presence of an extra copy of genetic material on some chromosome. According to the National Down Syndrome Society, there are approximately 350,000 individuals with Down syndrome in US.
Maternal age influences the chance of conceiving a baby with the syndrome. At age 20 to 24, it is 1/1490, while at age 40 it is 1/106, and at age 49 is 1/11. Although the chance increases with maternal age, most children with Down syndrome (80 percent) are born to women under the age of 35. That represents a big diagnostic problem.
Most Down syndrome cases occur spontaneously. There is no known prevention, although some factors, such as increased maternal age, can increase the chance of occurrence. The genetic basis itself cannot be treated, and the variety of expression requires targeting treatment to each individual
Continue reading after recommendations