Trisomy 18 pregnancy papers

These are papers on experiences of parents who receive an antenatal diagnosis of T18 or 13, on pregnancy management of T18 or 13 or on anomalies associated with T18 and 13 during pregnancy.


 Differences  in mortality and morbidity according to gestational ages and birthweights in infants with  trisomy 18 (Imai K et al) 2015 
Looks at a small cohort of births with trisomy 18. Suggests that increasing gestational age is more important for survival than birth weight. No preterm infants survived until discharge in this sample.

Our children are not a diagnosis: the experience of parents who continue their pregnancy after a prenatal diagnosis of trisomy 18 or 13 (Guon et al) 2013
Discusses the reasons parents give for continuing their pregnancies, their experiences with healthcare providers and how the reasons they give impact on their decision making on post birth interventions for their children.

The risk of fetal loss following a prenatal diagnosis of trisomy 13 or trisomy 18 (Morris J, Sawa G) 2008
Attempts to determine the risk of miscarriage and stillbirth for fetuses with T13 and T18. Notes that the risk of stillbirth between 20 weeks and term does not cluster, there is a similarly high risk throughout pregnancy. That fetuses with T18 are miscarry or are stillborn at a higher rate than fetuses with T13 (the risk of loss is 72% for fetuses with T18 from 12 weeks gestation to term) and that male fetuses are more likely to die before birth. There is no indication as to whether improved fetal monitoring could improve outcomes. Abstract only. Healthcare professionals can access via Open Athens. Others can purchase.

The healthcare experiences of families given the prenatal diagnosis of trisomy 18 (Walker LV et al) 2007
Discusses the experience of 19 families with health care professionals after diagnosis. Factors identified with satisfaction included empathy of health care providers, continuity of care, communication, valuing the fetus and participation in medical decision making. Not all families chose to continue the pregnancy.