Down syndrome or Trisomy 21 is a genetic abnormality in human beings. It is believed that the defect is a consequence of a random default in the mother’s egg. Such genetic disorders cannot be influenced. Nevertheless after understanding the nature of the condition, there are certain preventive measures that parents can undertake to minimize the incidence.

The primary aspect to be looked into with respect to Down syndrome is the maternal age. Despite the arbitrary mechanism of its occurrence, studies put forth a direct correlation between the probability of conceiving a fetus with this abnormality and the increase in maternal age. While the risk of bearing a fetus with Down syndrome happens to be 1 in 1400 at the age of 25 years, the same shoots up to 1 in 25 births when a woman crosses the age of forty-five. Therefore, it may be wise to complete one’s family at an appropriate age possibly before 30 years. A small percentage of cases occur due to the parents having a family history of the disorder. In such cases, family planning may be a wise alternative.

An inadequate level of folate in the mother’s body increases the probability of conceiving a child with Down syndrome by 320 percent. As prevention, all women planning a family should consume folic acid supplements. Prenatal diagnosis of the abnormality is another preventive measure against this disorder. Such screenings can be conducted between 11 weeks of pregnancy and the onset of the 3rd trimester. The various forms of detection include ultrasound, expanded AFP screening, chorionic villus sampling, amniocentesis and nuchal translucency screening. Apart from these measures, as a general rule a healthy lifestyle can contribute immensely towards healthy child conception and birth.

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