Diagnosed

On December 15, 2010, a pregnancy ultrasound revealed multiple physical abnormalities affecting our baby including fluid on the brain, cysts on the back of the neck, a hypoplastic left heart, a large cyst on the right lung, and clenched fingers--all indicators of Trisomy 18.

We decided an amniocentesis was necessary, which confirmed the diagnosis days later. At 19-weeks-along we learned our baby girl has the chromosomal defect known as Trisomy 18. Unfortunately, each cell of her body is fatally flawed, containing a third copy of the 18th chromosome. We know that if she survives birth her life will be short.

A picture of her chromosomes is shown at right.

To learn more about Trisomy 18, you can visit the following websites...

http://www.trisomy18.org/site/PageServer
http://www.trisomy.org/

http://www.chromosome18.org/