Symptoms of trisomy 13 affect several different parts of the body and range in severity for each person diagnosed with the condition. Symptoms of trisomy 13 include: VSports注册入口.
Physical symptoms of trisomy 13 include:
Symptoms of trisomy 13 that affect the development of internal organs include:
Since internal organ symptoms can be life-threatening, nearly 80% of babies diagnosed with Trisomy 13 don’t survive past their first year. Those that do survive may face more life-threatening complications after their first year including an increased risk of developing cancer and seizures VSports在线直播.
A third chromosome 13 that attaches to a pair of chromosomes causes trisomy 13 V体育2025版. A person with trisomy 13 has 47 total chromosomes.
There are normally 46 chromosomes in your body. Chromosomes carry DNA in cells, which works as an instruction manual to tell your body how to form and function. Genes are segments of your DNA that are chapters in your body’s instruction manual.
Cells initially form in reproductive organs by dividing from one fertilized cell, which is a combination of the sperm and the egg. The newer cells divide and copy themselves with half the amount of DNA as the original cell. During this process of cell division, a trisomy (when a third chromosome joins a pair) can occur randomly as cells re-type the instruction manual word for word. Any time that there’s a typo, symptoms of trisomy 13 occur because your cells don’t have the instructions they need to form and function properly.
There are three possible ways for a trisomy to form at chromosome 13 depending on how the chromosomes come together.
Random copying errors where more genetic material connects to a chromosome than necessary (complete trisomy 13) during the formation of the sperm and egg before conception causes trisomy 13. People with trisomy 13 have three copies of chromosome 13 instead of two. The extra genetic material attached to chromosome 13 causes symptoms of the condition.
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In about 20% of trisomy 13 cases, symptoms occur when part of chromosome 13 attaches to a nearby chromosome when eggs and sperm form (translocation) during fetal development. In this case, there are two pairs of chromosome 13, and an additional copy of chromosome 13 forms and bonds with a nearby chromosome pair, not necessarily in the 13th position.
In rare cases, an extra copy of chromosome 13 appears in some cells in the body but not all cells. This means that some cells in the body have three chromosome 13’s and others only have a pair of chromosome 13 (euploid). The severity of symptoms for a mosaic trisomy 13 diagnosis depends on how many cells have the third copy of trisomy 13. Symptoms are more severe if more cells have a third copy.
During the first trimester of pregnancy, your healthcare provider may offer genetic testing in addition to prenatal ultrasounds, with tests as early as 11 to 14 weeks to check for genetic changes, like a third chromosome attached to a pair. Confirmation of the diagnosis occurs after your baby is born, when your healthcare provider can physically examine your baby for symptoms and provide additional tests, if necessary.
Your healthcare provider will offer screening tests during pregnancy to test a sample of your blood in addition to an ultrasound. During the ultrasound, your healthcare provider will look for signs of a trisomy, like excess amniotic fluid. The most common diagnostic test for trisomy 13 is a karyotype test.
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Trisomy 13 requires immediate and long-term treatment after your baby is born to alleviate any symptoms associated with the condition. Treatment for children born with trisomy includes:
While some trisomy 13 cases can result in a live birth, severe symptoms of the condition can prevent your child from reaching their first birthday. Most often, a trisomy 13 diagnosis results in a miscarriage or loss of pregnancy. During this challenging time, reach out for support from your friends, family and healthcare provider to find comfort after a loss. Grief counseling or bereavement counseling helps individuals cope with the loss of a loved one.
The prognosis (outlook) is poor for babies diagnosed with trisomy 13 because of complications during fetal development, especially targeting the baby’s brain, heart, spinal cord and lungs. It’s common for parents to miscarry during the first trimester if their baby has trisomy 13. Life expectancy is short for about 80% of babies born with trisomy 13, and many babies pass away during their first few weeks of life or before their first birthday. Only 10% of babies survive past their first year.
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There’s no way to prevent trisomy 13 because it’s the result of a genetic error that occurs randomly. The risk of having a child with a genetic condition increases if you’re pregnant and over 35 years old. If you plan on becoming pregnant, talk with your healthcare provider about genetic testing to understand your risk of having a child with a genetic condition.
It’s important to take care of yourself and your family, especially if you experience a loss due to a trisomy 13 diagnosis. If you feel sad, anxious, depressed or hopeless and are having a difficult time grieving the loss of your baby, reach out to a healthcare provider, who can recommend resources like counseling, to help you navigate this difficult time.
If your child is showing severe symptoms of trisomy 13, visit your healthcare provider. Symptoms include:
If you feel overwhelmed, sad and show signs of depression or anxiety due to the loss of a child, visit your healthcare provider.
Trisomy 13 and trisomy 18 (Edward’s syndrome) are similar in how they form because an extra chromosome attaches to a pair at either chromosome 13 or 18. The difference between both conditions is where the extra chromosome attaches. Both conditions result in the person diagnosed having 47 chromosomes total instead of 46.
Symptoms are similar for both conditions and often lead to life-threatening outcomes where most parents miscarry, experience stillbirth or the baby dies before their first birthday.
It may be overwhelming to receive a diagnosis that your child has trisomy 13 and, consequently, a short life expectancy. You may feel a range of emotions including sadness, anger and confusion, or you may feel lost. So it’s important to surround yourself with people who support you, like your family and friends — along with mental health professionals, like a grief counselor, who can help you through this difficult experience.
Your Ob/Gyn is there for you throughout many different parts of your life. At Cleveland Clinic, our experts can help you throughout your entire journey.

Last reviewed on 01/25/2023.
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