A multitude of babies in the past few years have been diagnosed with a rare condition named trisomy 18. This particular condition can be listed as a chromosomal abnormality and it’s created in a very strange fashion.
Here are 5 Trisomy facts that you should know:
1. It’s a genetically transmitted disease
Although many might consider that this disease appears randomly when the embryo cell is formed, the reality is that trisomy is genetically transmitted most of the time, with the child being prone to this particular disease right from the start. Trisomy forms when an extra copy of a certain chromosome appears in the human cells and it can have a multitude of consequences even during the pregnancy period.
2. There are 6 main types of trisomy
You can find 6 different types of autosomal trisomy that can be found in surviving children, and these include:
- Trisomy 21 (a.k.a. Down syndrome)
- Trisomy 18 (a.k.a. Edwards syndrome)
- Trisomy 13 (a.k.a. Patau syndrome)
- Trisomy 9
- Trisomy 8
- Trisomy 22
All of these have different effects on the human body, but they can lead to miscarriage or to numerous issues if the child is born eventually.
3. Almost 1 in every 5000 babies has trisomy 18
Despite that, trisomy 18 is the second most common type of trisomy, with the Down syndrome being more common. The numbers are worrying, especially considering the fact that there aren’t any real treatments that can help the kids solve this health issue. It still is a good idea to go to the doctor often during the pregnancy period, just to make sure that you diagnose if you do have such a condition, as this might be very helpful in the long run.
4. Most babies don’t survive the second or third trimester of pregnancy
Although it’s very worrying to say the least, this news clearly shows how threatening and dangerous trisomy really is for the child. As we mentioned earlier, going to the doctors often is very important as you will be able to diagnose the issue fast. The trisomy condition can be very damaging, so it’s crucial to undergo a treatment and talk with your doctor at all times, otherwise this unfortunate statistic might appear.
5. Most trisomy victims are female
According to some studies that can be found online, most trisomy victims are female, mainly because the female chromosomes are prone to get infected at a much faster rate than the male ones.
In conclusion, trisomy is a genetically transmitted disease that can have some unfortunate events for the child. If the kid does survive and gets born, he will have multiple issues in life, because the disease limits some functions and it also decreases cognitive abilities sometimes.
Non-Invasive Fetal Trisomy Test or the NIFTY test is a safe, accurate and reliable prenatal screening test for detecting Down’s syndrome and other chromosomal aneuploidies. This test is usually offered to pregnant women identified by their doctors to have a possibility of fetal chromosomal abnormalities. Find out more about the NIFTY test
References:
http://www.disabled-world.com/disability/types/edwards-syndrome.php
http://www.webmd.com/baby/what-is-trisomy-18