Patient's question:
My friend is 27 years old and is currently pregnant. Recently, she had an NT scan and is questioning whether the fetus may have Down syndrome. Hello, what are the causes of Down syndrome?Doctor's answer:
The risk of a fetus developing Down syndrome is higher. Down syndrome is a birth defect caused by a chromosomal abnormality and is one of the most common birth defects in China. In affected children, the 21st chromosome changes from the normal two to three, so it is also known as trisomy 21. Common causes include chromosomal abnormalities, and another major cause is advanced maternal age. Down syndrome can be screened for during the child's 16th to 18th week of pregnancy through the Down syndrome screening test.