Accompanying symptoms
Pregnant women with a child with trisomy 18 usually do not notice this. The trisomy of the child does not cause symptoms in the pregnant woman. Only in an ultrasound examination of the unborn child can the suspicion of trisomy 18 arise due to a delay in growth or a malformation of the internal organs. The typical external features of a child with trisomy 18 only become apparent after birth.
TreatmentTherapy
There is no therapy for trisomy 18, either in the unborn child or after birth. If the child does not die before birth, a symptomatic therapy can be started after birth, such as artificial respiration or nutrition.
Duration Prognosis
The prognosis of trisomy 18 in the unborn child is very poor. About 90% of the children die before birth. However, if the date of birth is reached, only about 5% of children survive the first year of life due to the various malformations and concomitant diseases. A cure for trisomy 18 is not yet possible.