Trisomy Awareness Month

Trisomy Awareness Month

Trisomy Awareness Month takes place in March. March raises awareness about trisomy conditions and, in addition, the challenges these conditions pose to individuals and families. Research on these conditions plays an important role in the lives of these individuals and families. Light blue represents some trisomy conditions. Others, such as Down syndrome, use the yellow and blue awareness ribbon. For those conditions that are represented by light blue, we offer enamel awareness ribbon pins, fabric ribbons, and light blue silicone awareness wristband bracelets. For Down syndrome, we offer both a personalized and non-personalized enamel awareness ribbon pin in yellow and blue.

Further, Trisomy Awareness Month helps to educate people about trisomy disorders. Most people have 23 pairs of chromosomes in most or all of their cells for a total of 46 chromosomes. These chromosomes include DNA and other material that provide a blueprint for “building” a person.

However, some people have trisomy conditions. These conditions are related to having an extra chromosome in most or all of their cells, for a total of 47 chromosomes. An extra chromosome can cause a variety of health problems. These range from mild intellectual and developmental disability to severe physical problems. Most of the time, trisomy conditions, for example, are not passed from one generation to the next. Instead, they are the result of a random error that occurs during cell division very early on in development.

About Trisomy Conditions – Trisomy Awareness Month

Trisomy occurs when a person has a full or partial extra chromosome in most or all of his or her cells – 47 chromosomes total.

The specific health issues of a trisomy condition and how severe those issues are depend on:

• Which chromosome: An extra copy of some chromosomes is lethal. For example, an embryo with three copies of chromosome 1 will not develop.
• Whether there is a partial or complete extra chromosome: If cells include only a partial extra chromosome, symptoms are usually milder than if cells have a complete extra chromosome.
• How many cells have the extra chromosome or partial chromosome: If the extra chromosome is in only a few cells, the symptoms are usually milder than if the extra chromosome is in all or most of the cells.

Health conditions and problems associated with trisomy include physical abnormalities, such as extra fingers or toes, physiological issues, such as irregular heartbeat patterns, and problems related to intellectual and developmental functioning.

Most of the time, trisomy conditions are not passed from one generation to the next. They result from a random error that occurs during cell division very early on in development.

Well-Known Trisomy Syndromes

Trisomy can occur with any chromosome, but the most well-known syndromes are:

• Trisomy 21, more commonly known as Down syndrome. Down syndrome occurs in 1 in 691 live births in the United States each year. This is according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. People with Down syndrome usually have mild-to-moderate intellectual and developmental disability (IDD). In addition, they experience heart abnormalities and are at risk for hearing and vision loss. This is in addition to a number of other health conditions. Learn more about Down syndrome on the NICHD Down Syndrome: Condition Information webpage.
• Trisomy 18, also called Edwards syndrome, occurs in about 1 in 5,000 live births each year in the United States. Infants with Trisomy 18 often have severe IDD, as well as serious heart problems and other life-threatening issues that make them less likely to live past their first birthday. Learn more about Trisomy 18 on the Genetics Home Reference Trisomy 18 webpage.
• Trisomy 13, also called Patau syndrome, occurs in about 1 in 10,000 to 16,000 live births each year worldwide. Trisomy 13 is associated with more severe IDD and multiple physical problems, including serious heart problems. Learn more about Trisomy 13 on the Genetic Home Reference Trisomy 13 webpage.