Chromosomal disorders are a leading cause of health concern among many pregnant women with familial history of genetic disorder. For many expectant moms, the choice to undergo amniocentesis is often met with the decision to prepare for the birth of a child who may suffer from a genetic disorder versus electing to terminate the pregnancy.
One such genetic disorder, known as Edwards’ syndrome is a complication that involves a defect on chromosome 18. When undergoing an amniocentesis and genetic counseling, and learning of a complication along chromosome 18, parents often choose to terminate pregnancy by abortion simply due to the often fatal outcome of the genetic disorder at the time of the infant’s birth.
Edwards’ syndrome is a genetic disorder that, when not attributing to death, results in significant mental retardation and impaired development in a child. In fact, these complications often result in such extreme health issues that many children who successfully survive birth will not live beyond their first birthday.
Affecting female infants more commonly than male infants, the risks for giving birth to stillborn infant with Edwards’ syndrome runs as high as one out of 5,000 births and is increasingly more common as the age of the mother advances with pregnancy; older mothers tend to give birth to infants with Edwards’ syndrome more often than younger women.
A child born with Edwards’ syndrome will experience many health complications during that first, and only, year of life. Complications involving cleft palate, cleft lip, complications involving congenital heart disease, complications often involving hernia, the kidneys and genitalia and even complications involving the malformation of joints and organs.
Since there is no cure for Edwards’ syndrome, women who are pregnant with an infant who suffers from this genetic complication at chromosome 18, or who give birth to an infant with the genetic disorder, must face great challenges in terms of care. For this reason, the decision to electively terminate a pregnancy is often equally as challenging. Often, because a mother believes the child may fall into the less than five percent that do survive beyond the first year, the choice to proceed with pregnancy at full term is a sign of hope and diligence on the mother’s behalf.
If you are expecting a child who has been confirmed as suffering from a genetic disorder known as Edwards’ syndrome, it is important to understand and prepare for the shortened life expectancy of your child and prepare for the medical and health challenges ahead. With the choice to proceed with full term pregnancy, your education and preparation will work to ensure that your infant is provided the best possible care, whether the genetic disorder results in fatal outcomes soon after death or if your child is one of the few to survive beyond the first birthday. Overall, your education and preparation is key to assisting in the battle of Edwards’ syndrome.
