Patau Syndrome (Puh-tow (rhymes with cow)) Or Trisomy 13
General Information: While a normal person has 46 chromosomes, sometimes a problem in anaphase reults in a few people having too many or too few. A trisomy is the condition of having 47 chromosomes, in this case, 3 copies of chromosome 13.
Chromosomal cause: This disease is caused by receiving three copies of chromosome 13. There are slightly more males than females born with Patau's. It seems that the mother's age at the time of birth is the biggest factor on getting a trisomy. The older the mother, the greater the chances.
Characteristics: Babies born with Patau's Syndrome will have "low birth weight, heart defects, structural eye defects, cleft palate or hare lip, spinal defects, abdominal defects, low set ears, abnormal palm pattern, scalp defects, extra digits and overlapping of fingers over thumb. Between 80 per cent and 90 per cent of babies do not survive infancy and in those that do survive learning disability is present. *
Patau Syndrome (Puh-tow (rhymes with cow))
Other Information