Signs of Down Syndrome Pregnancy
Summary: There are no specific symptoms or signs of Down Syndrome pregnancy that do not require some type of test.  However there are certain factors that may put you at an increased risk for having a baby who will have Down Syndrome.

As a woman ages, there is a higher risk of the chromosomes dividing incorrectly.  Most of us have 46 chromosomes, folk with Down Syndrome have 47.

There is information about your risk at different ages.  At 20 your chance is 1 in 1600.  By age 30 it increases to 1 in 1000 and at 45 your chances rise to 1 in 30.

If you have a child with Downs your chance of having a second child with the condition is only 1%.

If either parent is a carrier of the genetic abnormality that causes the chromosome problem, there is an increased risk of having a Down Syndrome baby.

Even though older women are more likely to have a child with the condition, 80% of kids with Down Syndrome are from women under 35 years old.  This is due to the higher fertility rate.

It is rare for people with Down Syndrome to reproduce.  Fifteen to thirty percent of women with the genetic disorder are fertile and have a 50% chance of having a child with Down Syndrome.

Some web sites say that there has never been a case where a male with Down Syndrome fathered a child.  However a study of a case done in London suggests the possibility of one such occurrence.  There was a 29 year old man with Downs (trisomy 21) who had an affair with a young woman who was “educationally subnormal”.  She had been on birth control but had stopped taking it.

A pregnancy was confirmed by ultrasound.  She experienced some bleeding after a procedure.  They continued to have sex even though they had been advised not to.  She lost the baby at about four months.  A post-mortem exam showed no abnormalities in the child.

Downs children have different levels of mental disabilities.  Early intervention can help them function and many will be able to get and hold jobs.

DNA and other studies suggest that the man with Downs was the father of the baby.  This 1989 study was the only documented case of a man with Down’s Syndrome impregnating a woman that I could find.

Some of the physical characteristics a person with Down Syndrome has are: nasal bone may be missing, a thick neck, short thighs and upper arm bone, a flat face with eyes slanting upward, large and/or protruding tongue, small head and hands in proportion to the body, poor muscle tone, relatively short fingers.

There are a number of health problems that often plague folks with Down Syndrome.  Some are: congenital heart disease, vision problems, hearing difficulties and more health issues.

If you are at risk for having a child with Downs Syndrome you may want to speak to your doctor about having some testing done.  Amniocentesis done after week 15 or percutaneous umbilical blood sampling can identify Down Syndrome in utero.

This allows you to gather information on the condition, start planning for your baby’s special needs, setting up a support system, begin to set up a team of professionals and for some to decide whether or not to abort the baby.

There are risks involved in the testing, so discuss the benefits and possible risks of testing for the development of Down Syndrome.  Children with Down Syndrome live longer, are healthier and active in their community.  Adults hold jobs and are happier than in the past.

If your son or daughter has Downs you may be frightened for their health and acceptance by society.  Fortunately most people’s attitudes towards people with disabilities are much more favorable and accepting.

You will want to find doctors, therapists and social workers that will help provide you to help your child reach his full potential, so that he can live a happy, productive life.