Downs syndrome is a common birth defect, and the most recognizable among all types of birth defects. Despite advances is medicine and prenatal care received throughout a pregnancy, each year million of babies are born with birth defects. The severity varies. Some have defects that are easily corrected with surgery, whereas others have defects that will pose a life-long battle. Although children born with downs syndrome may develop additional health problems, this birth defect is not debilitating. Those with downs syndrome are able to attend school, work, make friends, and function normal in society.

What is Downs Syndrome?

Downs syndrome is a medical condition that occurs when a baby inherits an extra or irregular chromosome from one of their parents. Our chromosomes store our genetic information. Each person has 46 chromosomes. We inherit an equal number of 23 from both of our parents. In rare cases, a baby may inherit an extra chromosome, or one chromosome may have an extra part. This causes problems in the way a baby develops physically and mentally. Children and adults with downs syndrome have very distinct facial characteristics, and may have below-normal intelligence. Low intelligence is characterized as mental retardation. For the most part, those with downs syndromes have a mild case of mental retardation

How Common is Downs Syndrome?

Downs syndrome is extremely common and approximately 4,000 babies are born with this medical condition each year. That’s roughly 1 out of every 800 births. Additionally, downs syndrome does not discriminate. A common belief is that this condition only affects Caucasians. However, downs syndrome affects all races. The number of incidents among African-Americans, Asians, and Hispanics are low. Still, children of these races may be born with this birth defect. Downs syndrome is not contagious, nor is it a disease that develops later in life. Downs syndrome is detected shortly after birth. Doctors are unsure why a baby inherits an extra chromosome. Moreover, there are no preventative measures. However, certain risk factors may contribute to a baby being born with downs syndrome.