Ruqayyah Snyder
Down syndrome is a genetic condition caused by an extra copy of chromosome 21, resulting in physical and intellectual disabilities. It is the most common chromosomal condition, with an estimated 1 in 1,100 to 1,158 babies born with Down syndrome in Australia. While there is no national data collection on the total number of people with Down syndrome in Australia, estimates range from 13,000 to 15,000 individuals as of 2019. This means that for every 10,000 people in Australia, there are approximately 5 people with Down syndrome. The population of individuals with Down syndrome in Australia has been increasing since 2020, contrary to the decreasing trends observed in Europe and New Zealand due to increased selective terminations.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of people with Down syndrome in Australia | Between 13,000 and 15,000 (as of 2019) |
| Number of babies born with Down syndrome per year in Australia | 265 (between 2016 and 2020) |
| Number of people with Down syndrome in NDIS | Over 10,000 (as of 2019) |
| Chance of having a baby with Down syndrome for a 20-year-old mother | 1 in 1,400 |
| Chance of having a baby with Down syndrome for a 45-year-old mother | 1 in 30 |
| Average life expectancy of people with Down syndrome in Australia | 60 years or more |
| Reduction in LB prevalence due to DS-related terminations | 66% (between 2016 and 2020) |
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What You'll Learn
Estimated number of people with Down syndrome in Australia: 13,000-15,000
There is no national data collection on the number of people with Down syndrome in Australia. However, according to Down Syndrome Australia, the best estimate is that there are between 13,000 and 15,000 individuals with Down syndrome in the country as of 2019. This estimate is based on data from Western Australia, the only state in the country that collects information about the number of people with Down syndrome.
Extrapolating from the Western Australia data, this means that in a group of 10,000 people in Australia, there are just over 5 people with Down syndrome. This is similar to the prevalence in other countries such as the UK. In terms of births, for every 1,100 to 1,158 babies born in Australia, 1 will have Down syndrome. This means there are about 265 to 290 babies with Down syndrome born in Australia each year.
The chance of a woman conceiving a child with Down syndrome varies with the age of the mother. For a woman aged 20 years, the chance is 1 in 1,400, while for a woman aged 45 years, the chance increases to 1 in 30. However, younger women have babies more frequently, so the majority of babies born with Down syndrome are born to women under 35 years of age.
The life expectancy of people with Down syndrome in Australia has increased dramatically over the past 50 years. The average life expectancy of a person with Down syndrome in Australia is now 60 years or more. This increase in life expectancy means that the total population of people with Down syndrome in Australia continues to increase, in contrast to the decreasing trends observed in Europe and New Zealand.
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Annual births of babies with Down syndrome: 265
The number of annual births of babies with Down syndrome in Australia is estimated to be 265. This estimate is based on data from 2016 to 2020. It means that approximately 1 in every 1,158 babies born in Australia will have Down syndrome. This ratio is similar to that of New Zealand, where 1 in 1,450 babies are born with Down syndrome.
The chance of a woman giving birth to a child with Down syndrome varies with her age. For a 20-year-old woman, the likelihood is 1 in 1,400, while for a 45-year-old woman, it is 1 in 30. However, younger women tend to have babies more frequently, so the majority of babies with Down syndrome are born to mothers under 35.
The overall population of people with Down syndrome in Australia is estimated to be between 13,000 and 15,000. This translates to about 5 people with Down syndrome for every 10,000 people in the general population. This prevalence is comparable to that of other countries like the UK.
The life expectancy of individuals with Down syndrome in Australia has significantly improved over the past 50 years. The average life expectancy for a person with Down syndrome in Australia is now 60 years or more. This increase in life expectancy is accompanied by improvements in the quality of life, with people with Down syndrome leading longer and healthier lives than in the past.
While there is no national data collection on the number of people with Down syndrome in Australia, the available estimates provide valuable insights into the prevalence and impact of this chromosomal condition in the country.
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Life expectancy: 60+ years
The life expectancy of people with Down syndrome in Australia has increased dramatically over the past 50 years. The average life expectancy for someone with Down syndrome is now 60 years, and more than one in ten adults with Down syndrome will live to 70 years. This increase in life expectancy is likely due to improvements in general and medical care, as well as advances in the treatment of congenital heart disease and infections.
While people with Down syndrome are living longer and healthier lives than ever before, they may still face some health challenges. About half of people with Down syndrome have congenital heart disease, and they may also have lower immunity, making them more susceptible to illness, especially in early childhood. Additionally, everyone with Down syndrome has some degree of learning difficulty, ranging from mild to severe, and may need speech and language therapy to help them speak clearly.
As people with Down syndrome age, they may also experience functional decline due to sensory and musculoskeletal impairments. Women with Down syndrome are at risk of osteoporosis and are also likely to experience early menopause, on average by the age of 45 years. This early onset of menopause further increases the risk of developing dementia. In fact, research suggests that more than half of people with Down syndrome are diagnosed with dementia by the time they reach 60 years of age.
However, preventative and modifying treatments for Alzheimer's disease in the future may contribute to a further increase in life expectancy for people with Down syndrome, potentially beyond 60 years. The NDIS (National Disability Insurance Scheme) in Australia also helps people with Down syndrome get the support they need to live longer and healthier lives. In 2019, over 10,000 people with Down syndrome were part of the NDIS, and this number is expected to grow as the scheme expands across Australia.
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Mothers over 35: higher chance of Down syndrome
The chance of having a child with Down syndrome increases with maternal age. While the majority of babies with Down syndrome are born to women under 35, this is primarily because younger women tend to have more children. The risk of chromosomal abnormalities increases with maternal age, and women over 35 are considered to be of "advanced maternal age".
The risk of having a child with Down syndrome increases from about 1 in 1,250 for a woman who conceives at age 25, to about 1 in 100 for a woman who conceives at age 40. The chance of a woman conceiving a child with Down syndrome varies from 1 in 1,400 for a 20-year-old woman to 1 in 30 at age 45. The risk is also higher for women who have already had one child with Down syndrome.
Several studies have investigated the link between maternal age and Down syndrome. In the early 1900s, researchers noticed that children with Down syndrome were often the last-born in large families and were born shortly before the mother experienced menopause. At the time, it was believed that Down syndrome was a sign that the mother had exhausted her reproductive potential. Later, a French pediatrician discovered that Down syndrome was associated with an extra chromosome.
Recent studies in mice have shown that older eggs are more likely to have instability in chromosome pairs, leading to an increased chance of chromosome division happening unevenly. This could result in an abnormal number of chromosomes in the offspring. While these studies were conducted on mice, the findings may be applicable to human eggs and could inform future therapies to prevent chromosome disorders like Down syndrome in older women.
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Selective terminations: decreasing in Europe, increasing in Australia
The number of live births with Down syndrome has been decreasing in Europe since 2000, and in New Zealand since 2011, largely due to increased selective terminations. However, the population of people with Down syndrome continues to increase in Australia and the United States.
Between 2016 and 2020, there were an estimated 265 births of babies with Down syndrome per year in Australia, which corresponds to a rate of 8.6 per 10,000 births or one in 1,158 births. During the same period, there were an estimated 41 annual live births with Down syndrome in New Zealand, resulting in a prevalence of 6.9 per 10,000 births or one in 1,450 births.
The reduction in live births with Down syndrome due to selective terminations was estimated at 66% for Australia, 71% for New Zealand, 62% for Europe (excluding the former East Bloc), and only 32% for the United States. Without selective terminations, the birth rate of babies with Down syndrome in Australia would have been 25.4 per 10,000.
The incidence of births of children with Down syndrome increases with the age of the mother. The chance of a woman conceiving a child with Down syndrome varies from 1 in 1,400 for a 20-year-old woman to 1 in 30 at age 45. However, younger women have babies more frequently, so the majority of babies born with Down syndrome are born to women under 35 years of age.
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Frequently asked questions
There is no national data collection on the number of people with Down syndrome in Australia. However, the best estimate is between 13,000 and 15,000 people.
It is estimated that for every 1,100 to 1,158 babies born in Australia, 1 will have Down syndrome. This means there are around 265 to 290 babies with Down syndrome born in Australia each year.
The prevalence of Down syndrome has been increasing in Australia since 2000, in contrast to Europe and New Zealand, where it has been decreasing due to increased selective terminations.
The life expectancy of people with Down syndrome in Australia has increased significantly over the past 50 years. Currently, the average life expectancy is 60 years or more.
The chance of a woman giving birth to a child with Down syndrome increases with age, from 1 in 1,400 for a 20-year-old woman to 1 in 30 for a 45-year-old woman. However, younger women have babies more frequently, so most babies with Down syndrome are born to women under 35.
