Down syndrome is a condition in which a person has an extra chromosome. Chromosomes are small “packages” of genes in the body. They determine how a baby’s body forms during pregnancy and how the baby’s body functions as it grows in the womb and after birth.
Typically, a baby is born with 46 chromosomes. Babies with Down syndrome have an extra copy of one of these chromosomes, chromosome 21. A medical term for having an extra copy of a chromosome is ‘trisomy.’ Down syndrome is also referred to as Trisomy 21. This extra copy changes how the baby’s body and brain develop, which can cause both mental and physical challenges for the baby. Read more about Down syndrome.
Back to topDown Syndrome Data Visualization
Measure Description:
- The Prevalence per 10K Live Births is the number of live-born infants diagnosed with the selected congenital or inherited disorder per 10,000 live births during the stated five year period.
- The Prevalence per 10K Live Births is the number of live-born infants to mother under the age of 35 diagnosed with the selected birth defect per 10,000 live births to mother under the age of 35 during the stated five year period.
- The Prevalence per 10K Live Births is the number of live-born infants to mother age 35 and older diagnosed with the selected birth defect per 10,000 live births to mother age 35 and older during the stated five year period.
In order to further refine the data being displayed, some advanced options are available at the state level. Users can filter results by:
- Infant gender
- Maternal age group
- Maternal race/ethnicity
Women over the age of 35 have a higher risk of having a child with Down Syndrome. In addition to the standard maternal age groups displayed for all congenital or inherited disorders, the Down Syndrome measures include a maternal age breakdown based on that known risk:
- Maternal age of all ages
- Maternal age 35 and older
- Maternal age under 35