What is trisomy 18 and trisomy 13?
Trisomy 18 and trisomy 13 are genetic disorders that present a combination of birth defects including severe mental retardation, as well as health problems involving nearly every organ system in the body. Twenty to 30 percent of babies born with trisomy 18 or 13 die in the first month of life, and 90 percent die by age 1. It is important to note that 5 to 10 percent of babies with trisomy 18 or 13 do survive the first year of life. Therefore, these disorders are not universally fatal and, in the absence of any immediate life-threatening problems, accurate predictions of life expectancy are difficult to make. There are a few reports of babies with trisomy 18 or 13 surviving to their teens, however, this is unusual. Trisomy 18 is also called “Edwards syndrome,” named after the physician who first described the disorder. Trisomy 18 is seen in about one in every 3,000 live births. Trisomy 13 is also called “Patau syndrome,” named after the physician who first described the disorder. Trisom
