Down syndrome and pregnency

Guest · Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2007 1:36 pm Post subject: Down syndrome and pregnency

My partner and I are planning a baby, but husband's sister has down syndrome.
I have few questions about down syndrome and pregnency, and I would greatly appreciate it, if someone would answer them.
1. Is down syndrome in connection with genes or is it influenced by some other cause?
2. What is the chance of our child having down syndrome?
3. Is there any way we can prevent it?
4. How soon in pregnency can down syndrome be detected?
5. What is the chance of aborting if having down syndrome pregnency?
Thanks for reply!

lady · Joined: 10 Feb 2006 Posts: 126

There is no way to prevent down syndrome.
To some degree there is slightly bigger chance you might have a child with down syndrome, because of your husband's family line, but is impossible to talk in numbers. As is in case, that parents who already have child with down syndrome, are more likely to another pregnency with down syndrome. However, there are evidence that prove that the chance of having a child with down syndrome increases with the mother's age, and some cases claim that the father's age might also increase the risk.
Down syndrome can be detected with blood test in first trimester, consequently it is possible to abort if dealing with down syndrome pregnency.
However, this rises few more questions- should you abort, or should you hope that your baby will be a part of 5% that do not develop down syndrome, but are still test positive.
I hope this helped you... it is important that you know that tests are possible and are done in first trimester.
Think positive and i am sure everything will be ok. Good luck!!!