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Trisomy 21 And Down Syndrome

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There are 23 pairs of chromosomes in a normal human cell. Trisomy 21 or Down syndrome occurs when there is a third copy of chromosome 21 and causes malformation in body and brain development. Giving birth to a child with down syndrome increases as the mother ages. The odds of having a child with trisomy 21 are 1 in 1000 for women under the age of 35. This increases to 1 in 200 for women 35 and older. Thus, while not completely avoidable, it is best to have children while the mother is still under 35 to allow the child to be less likely to be born with down syndrome.
At birth, an infant with Down syndrome displays hypotonia, low muscle tone. His or her head droops and appendages dangle when picked up. This is an indication of damage to the

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