Random Facts About Down Syndrome Is Nearly Eliminated In Iceland (12 items)

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  (#10) There Are Three Types Of Down Syndrome

  Though many think Down syndrome is an all-inclusive term, there are actually three types of Down syndrome. Trisomy 21 accounts for 95% of cases, whereas translocation Down syndrome accounts for 3 - 4%. Translocation can be inherited from the mother or father, and in this case, the extra chromosome is attached to another.

  With Mosaic Down syndrome, the least common, only some cells have 47 chromosomes and others have the typical 46. Those with Mosaic Down syndrome tend to have higher IQs than those with other forms of Down syndrome. 
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  (#12) The Debate Rages On In The United States

  In the United States, whether or not it's moral to abort a child with Down syndrome is still hotly debated. Many believe women should have the right to choose whether or not they want to care for a child with the disorder, and possibly subject the child to a life of pain. Others say this movement is basically eliminating an entire sub-group of the population, and that terminating a child with Down syndrome is furthering the unfair bias.
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  (#3) What Is Down Syndrome?

  A typical cell has 46 chromosomes - 23 from the mother, and 23 from the father. Down syndrome occurs when there is an extra 21st chromosome, hence the moniker Trisomy 21. People with Down syndrome have developmental delays, distinct facial characteristics, are often shorter, and can also have a higher risk of developing epilepsy and Alzheimer's, among other conditions. 
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  (#9) The Causes Of Down Syndrome

  Researchers have not yet uncovered why some fetuses develop an extra 21 chromosome; however, we do know that the fetuses of older women have a higher chance of developing the condition. At age 35, the chances go from about 1 in 1,000 to 12 in 1,000. 

  An older woman's eggs are simply older, but no one knows why older eggs are sometimes of a lower quality. Some studies indicate that older fathers can increase a fetus's chance of developing Down syndrome, but not as severely as an older mother can. 
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  (#4) Prenatal Testing Is Changing

  New noninvasive tests are becoming more and more common, as well as more affordable, for pregnant women to learn more about their unborn child. These new tests are able to be performed at 10 weeks, as opposed to 16-18 weeks. As tests get more common, doctors expect more diagnoses of conditions like Down syndrome, and even more growth in the prenatal testing market. 

  No one is forced to get prenatal testing, but doctors often suggest it. Most of these initial tests are screening tests, which tell the possibility of a child having a condition. Traditionally, diagnostic tests give more definite results and are ordered if the screening tests indicates it may be necessary. Down syndrome is not the only test that's screened for; spina bifida, brain and spinal conditions, cystic fibrosis, and others are tested for as well. 

  Amniocentesis, one of the most well-known prenatal tests, involves drawing amniotic fluid via a needle through the belly. Amniocentesis is often cited as dangerous and having a risk of miscarriage; however, this risk is only about .6%. 
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  (#11) One Professor Wrote About His Complicated Feelings On This Issue

  An assistant professor of political science at Villanova University, Mike Lawrence Schrad, wrote about his specific experience dealing with the news he and his wife received about their unborn daughter. The doctors consulted with Schrad and his wife about all the complications their child would suffer, mentioning the social ostracism their daughter would likely experience due to her Down syndrome diagnosis.

  Schrad and his wife decided it would be best to keep the child, and they were surprised by the amount of "pushback" they received, especially considering he described both himself and his wife as "a couple of pro-choice liberals."

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