Patient's question:
When undergoing in vitro fertilization, the embryo developed with an extra 5th chromosome and a missing 18th chromosome. Which chromosome abnormality is the most severe?Doctor's answer:
Whether it is a deletion on chromosome 5 or a deletion on chromosome 18, it is relatively serious. Deletions on chromosome 5 can cause genetic diseases, also known as Cri-du-chat syndrome, or Meow-cry syndrome. Patients with Cri-du-chat syndrome have widely spaced eyes, low-set ears, delayed growth and development, and severe intellectual disabilities. Females are generally more affected than males, and there is also incomplete growth and intellectual development. The main malformations in 18-trisomy syndrome include abnormalities of the mesoderm and its derivatives (such as bones, urinary and reproductive systems, and the heart, which are most prominent).