Statistics on Down syndrome

Before talking statistics, I want to share some pictures of Nichole with your from Wednesday. We went to a Pumpkin Patch and tried to stay warm.

By the end of the day, Nichole was exhausted and read for a car ride so she could snooze.
Here she is in the stroller, tired, and pretty bundled up.

And here is Ellie. She had fun with her friend Brooklyn.

She did not want to bring a pumpkin home though.

Statistics on Down syndrome

A few people asked about statistics, so I will try to answer as best as I can. I actually spent some time yesterday looking at books and different websites. I am hoping that some of my friends (those dear friends that I have met thanks to Nichole) will read this post and maybe add some of their comments with the information that they have. Remember that these are estimated numbers, there are no statistics that are 100% accurate because of abortion rates. Also, these are numbers for the United States (I will see if I can find anything about Mexico.)

• 1/733 babies are born with Down syndrome
• 5, 000 babies are born every year with Down syndrome
• 9/10 women that are given a pre-natal diagnosis of Down syndrome chose to have an abortion! (This is a problem. Medical professionals deliver the news as a death sentence and almost always offer the option of abortion before explaining to parents what it is, or before connecting the expecting parents with a family that has a child with Down syndrome. It is sad to know these expecting parents are being cheated of a precious baby by withholding the truth and information about what Down syndrome is day-to-day. can you tell I am passionate about this!)
• It is believed that if there was no abortion at all, the incidence of having a child would be somewhere between 1/150 or 1/100, which is the same as having twins. (By no abortion I mean, not only related to Down syndrome, but abortion in general)
• Most babies with Down syndrome are born to parents that were NOT given a pre-natal diagnosis
• 80% of babies with Down syndrome are born to women under the age of 35
• Currently there are more than 400,000 people living in the US with Down syndrome
• More than 50% of all miscarriages are caused by a genetic abnormality (I wonder how many of those were little babies with Down syndrome!)
• Once a woman has a baby with Down syndrome, her chances of having another child with Down syndrome is... 1% (yes, only one percent, the same as having twins, unless it is Translocation Down syndrome)

If you are looking specifically for statistics on Down syndrome and abortion, you want to read THIS POST.