Trisomy 13 Awareness

Our Logo represents Trisomy 13/Patau’s Syndrome the 3rd most common Chromosomal syndrome after Down’s syndrome(Trisomy 21) and Edwards Syndrome(Trisomy 18). The colours in the ribbon represent love, life and joy.

What is Trisomy 13/Patau’s Syndrome?

Inside all of the cells of our bodies there are tiny structures called chromosomes. These chromosomes carry the genes that determine how we develop. There are 23 pairs of chromosomes in each cell. When our bodies produce sperm or egg cells, the pairs divide and rearrange themselves. Sometimes these pairs of chromosomes do not divide correctly. With trisomy 13 there is an extra copy of chromosome 13 in each cell. There are three forms of the syndrome, as explained below.

Complete trisomy 13 This is when every cell in the body has three copies of chromosome 13. Babies with this condition will have complex disabilities.
Mosaic trisomy 13 This is when some cells have the usual two copies of chromosome 13 and some have three copies.
Partial trisomy 13 This is when there is an extra part of some of chromosome 13 in all the body’s cells

Babies with trisomy 13 will have a wide range of problems. Unfortunately these problems are usually extremely serious. These may include major brain abnormalities leading to learning difficulties. Many babies also have heart problems, a cleft lip and palate, poorly formed eyes and ears, and problems with their arms and legs. It is difficult to say how serious the effects of partial and mosaic trisomy 13 will be before the baby is born.

Patau syndrome affects somewhere between 1 in 10,000 and 1 in 21,700 live births.