Down syndrome risk factors include maternal age and family history of the condition. Women over 35 are at higher risk, and tests can assess risk during pregnancy. No other factors have been identified, and doctors can provide specific advice on parenting a child with Down syndrome.
There are a few different factors that increase the risk of Down syndrome, which is a lifelong genetic condition caused by chromosomal abnormalities that appear while the fetus is still developing. In general, the two most significant factors that increase the risk of Down syndrome include the mother’s age and a family history of the condition. This can mean that a parent or family member is simply a carrier of Down syndrome but doesn’t actually have the condition, or that a family member or sibling was born with it. Having Down syndrome genes in a family is one of the most significant factors that increases the risk of another child having the condition.
Doctors have determined that women who become pregnant later in life are at a higher risk of having a baby with Down syndrome. In general, the risk of Down syndrome begins to increase at age 35, and then continues to increase with each year that a woman remains of childbearing age. There are tests that can be done while a woman is pregnant that can assess the risk of the baby being born with Down syndrome so women have as much information as possible. Some of these tests may return false information, and a doctor may order additional, slightly riskier tests to determine for sure if the fetus has Down syndrome if another risk factor is present.
The second factor that increases the risk of Down syndrome is family history of the condition. If a family member has Down syndrome, it is possible that one parent carries the gene and could potentially pass it on to the child. If a brother or sister in the family has Down syndrome, or if a fetus has been determined to have the condition in the past, this also makes it much more likely that the condition will recur.
Aside from these factors that increase the risk of Down syndrome, medical research has not identified other behavioral or environmental factors. It is possible for the condition to occur randomly, with no medical explanation that can be identified. Specific questions about risk factors or genetic predisposition should be directed to a doctor. He or she can provide specific advice and information about what should be expected from parenting a child with Down syndrome and specific health problems that may be associated with the condition, as well as expected changes in physical appearance and other intellectual characteristics .
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