Prenatal Testing & New Parent Pamphlet

The Global Down Syndrome Foundation and the National Down Syndrome Congress have teamed up to publish the second edition of the groundbreaking Prenatal Testing Pamphlet for Down syndrome. The second edition, created from the first national survey of pregnant women and medical professionals, is easily accessible electronically, or in print at no cost.

Available in:

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English

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Spanish

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Icelandic

Prenatal Testing Pamphlet Cover(1)

What is Down syndrome?

Down syndrome, also known as Trisomy 21, is a condition where a person is born with three copies of chromosome 21 instead of two. In the United States, 1 in every 691 babies is born with the condition. 3 There are hundreds of thousands of people with Down syndrome in the United States, and an estimated six million people with Down syndrome worldwide.

How will Down syndrome affect my baby?

There is no way to know what the future holds for any baby. In many ways, babies with Down syndrome are just like other babies. All babies need to be fed, have their diapers changed, and have playtime, but, most of all, they need to be loved. These needs are the same for a baby with Down syndrome.

Medical information related to people with Down syndrome

Currently, in the U.S., the average lifespan of a person with Down syndrome is 60 years, compared with 25 years in 1983 (however, there are disparities by race and ethnicity).

Acknowledgments:

The Global Down Syndrome Foundation and the National Down Syndrome Congress would like to thank the following contributors for their valuable time and expert advice:

  • Campbell Brasington, MS
  • George Capone, MD
  • Dee Daniels, RN, MSN, CPNP
  • Penny Feldman, MD
  • Allan Fisher, MD
  • Barbara Gaffney
  • Karen Gaffney
  • Bryn Gelaro, LSW
  • Marjorie Greenfield, MD
  • Francis J. Hickey, MD
  • Dennis McGuire, PhD
  • Kishore Vellody, MD
  • Jeannie Visootsak, MD
  • Patricia C. Winders, PT