One of the concerns of pregnant mothers is that their child is at risk for Down syndrome, which directly affects the brain and intelligence of the child, as well as development in various areas. If you do not want your child to have Down syndrome, in addition to consulting with a skilled obstetrician, you must also take proper care during pregnancy to prevent Down syndrome.
What is Down syndrome?
Down syndrome is a condition caused by chromosome abnormalities, resulting in babies having slower physical and intellectual development than normal.
What causes a baby to have Down syndrome?
The main causes for a baby to have Down syndrome are divided into three types:
- Abnormal chromosome division (Trisomy 21) is the most common cause, accounting for about 95% of Down syndrome cases. It occurs when an extra copy of chromosome 21 is present (normally there are 2 copies). This is often found in older mothers since egg cells are more likely to divide abnormally as the age increases.
- Chromosomal Translocation is found in about 4% of Down syndrome cases. It occurs when part of chromosome 21 becomes attached to another chromosome, such as chromosome 14. It can happen in younger mothers.
- Mosaicism is the least common cause, found in about 1% of Down syndrome cases. It results from having some cells with the normal chromosome set (46) and some with an extra chromosome 21 (47) in the same body.
Risk factors for mothers having a Down syndrome baby
- Mother’s age: Mothers older than 35 years have an increased risk of having a baby with Down syndrome.
- Family history: If someone in the family has Down syndrome, the risk increases.
- History of previously having a baby with Down syndrome: This increases the risk in future pregnancies.
How to prevent having a child with Down syndrome
Preventing Down syndrome can be done through screening and diagnostic testing during pregnancy to assess the risk of the fetus having Down syndrome, which can be done in several ways:
- First trimester screening: Involves blood tests and ultrasounds during 11-13 weeks of pregnancy to measure the Nuchal Translucency (NT) and hormone levels in the blood.
- Second trimester screening: Involves blood tests from 15-20 weeks of pregnancy to check four hormone levels (Quadruple Screen).
- Screening through fetal genetic testing in maternal blood (Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing: NIPT): This involves testing the mother’s blood to detect fetal DNA from 10 weeks of pregnancy onwards, offering greater accuracy than other screening methods. If the screening results indicate a high risk, the doctor will recommend diagnostic tests to confirm the results using two main methods:
- Amniocentesis: Conducted during 15-20 weeks of pregnancy to test the fetus’s chromosomal cells.
- Chorionic villus sampling (CVS): Conducted during 10-13 weeks of pregnancy to test placental chromosomal cells.
Family planning and preparation before pregnancy are important, especially health checks for both women and men to evaluate the risk of Down syndrome and other conditions that may affect pregnancy, such as thalassemia, diabetes, and screening for carriers of other genetic diseases in the child. This helps understand the risks and plan for a quality pregnancy, significantly reducing the risk of pregnancy complications.
Specialists in Maternal and Fetal Medicine
Dr. Teera Wacharaprechanont, obstetrician and specialist in maternal and fetal medicine at the Women’s Health Center, Bangkok Hospital.
You can click here to book an appointment on your own.
Hospitals specialized in Maternal and Fetal Medicine
The Women’s Health Center, Bangkok Hospital, is ready to take care of pregnant mothers throughout the duration of prenatal care by obstetricians specializing in maternal and fetal medicine, along with a multidisciplinary team ready to care for you throughout pregnancy to delivery, to prevent the risks of Down syndrome and ensure both mother and child are healthy.
Prenatal Care Package
The prenatal care package starts at 69,000 baht.
