Down's syndrome
Down's syndrome is a genetic disorder caused by an extra copy of chromosome number 21 inside each of the body's cells, so there are three instead of two.
There is nothing you can do to prevent Down's syndrome from occurring and it is not caused by anything parents do before or during pregnancy. Although the chance of having a baby with Down's syndrome increases with age, more babies with the syndrome are born to younger women simply because women in this age group are more likely to be having babies.
The extra chromosome changes the development of the baby. People with Down's syndrome may have some learning difficulties and have distinctive facial features, but each person with Down's syndrome is different. There are some associated health problems that can affect people with Down's syndrome, but these can be minimised with good medical care and regular check-ups.
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