Down syndrome risk factors

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Syed Hassan A. Kazmi BSc, MD [2]

Common risk factors involved in the development of Down syndrome include maternal smoking, increased maternal age, impaired recombination of chromosome 21, impaired folate metabolism and oral contraceptive pills (OCPs). Less common risk factors leading to the development of Down syndrome include genomic instability in mothers, radiation exposure, low socioeconomic status and maternal obesity.

The following are the risk factors for developing Down syndrome:

Common risk factors in the mother leading to the development of Down syndrome include the following:^{[1][2][3][4][5][6][7]}

• Smoking during pregnancy
• Increased maternal age
• Impaired recombination of chromosome 21
• Impaired folate metabolism
• Oral contraceptive pills (OCPs)

Less common risk factors involved in the development of Down syndrome include the following:^[8]

• Genomic instability in mothers of Down syndrome patients
• Radiation exposure
• Low socioeconomic status
• Maternal obesity

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