What is Trisomy 18?

Facts and statistics about Trisomy 18:
-Occurs when there are 3 copies of the 18th chromosome (instead of the normal 2) in every cell of the body
-Occurs from spontaneous meiotic nondisjunction - meaning the chromosomal abnormality is not inherited nor is it a result of something the parents did or did not do
-Occurs in 1 out of every 3,000 live births
-95% of Trisomy 18 babies die in utero
-Of infants born with Trisomy 18 50% live to 2 months, 5-10% make it to be one year old
-The average life span of a baby born with Trisomy 18 is 5 to 15 days
-A baby can have full, partial or mosaic Trisomy 18 - I am focusing only on full Trisomy 18 which is what Hailey had
-Most Trisomy 18 babies die from apnea or heart problems

Some of the characteristics of Trisomy 18 include but are not limited to:
-Heart defects (Hailey did NOT have - other than a murmur)
-Apnea / Breathing problems (Hailey had this)
-Intestines protruding outside the body (omphalocele) (Hailey had this)
-Growth deficiency (Hailey had this)
-Feeding difficulties (Hailey had this)
-Low-set, malformed ears (Hailey had this)
-Cleft lip/cleft palate (Hailey did NOT have this)
-Clenched hands (Hailey somewhat had this)
-Underdeveloped thumbs and or nails (Hailey had this)
-Webbing / extra skin (Hailey had this)
-Small facial features (Hailey had this)


Disclaimer: I do not list these as being 100% accurate nor do I remember the sources behind all of the information posted.

Trisomy 18 Foundation: What Is Trisomy 18