During pregnancy, you can test for whether you baby may have Down syndrome. In each cell of the human body, there are 23 pairs of chromosomes. Down syndrome occurs when a baby has an extra copy of chromosome 21. For this reason, some people refer to Down syndrome as “trisomy 21.” Children born with Down syndrome can face intellectual disabilities, developmental challenges, and health problems. For this reason, many health facilities offer tests in advance so that parents can prepare for any issues as early as possible.
There are two categories of prenatal tests for Down syndrome:
• Screening Test – This test tells you whether there is an increased chance that the baby has Down syndrome. For instance, you may discover that there is a 1 in 100 chance your child has Down syndrome. Screening tests do not harm the mother or baby. If there is a high likelihood that your child has the condition, medical providers usually advise moving on to the diagnostic test.
• Diagnostic Test – This test gives you a definitive answer (a clear “yes” or “no”) on whether your child has Down syndrome. Since this test is harder to take, most medical providers only offer it after a woman showed high likelihood on the screening test.
If you need help understanding how to care for a child with Down syndrome, The Warren Center is here for you. We offer host of support services to improve the outlook of children born with Down syndrome. For more information, contact us.
