Decreased levels of PAPP-A and increased levels of hCG have been linked with an increased risk of Down syndrome, according to Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island (opens in new tab). The blood tests detect levels of proteins and hormones, such as pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) and the pregnancy hormone known as human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). According to the Mayo Clinic, these tests are done in the first or second trimester of pregnancy and use a combination of blood tests and ultrasound imaging. Screening tests performed in pregnancy can determine the likelihood that a fetus will have Down syndrome. Like anyone else, people with Down syndrome can lead fulfilling lives. Though children with Down syndrome are delayed developmentally, they can also be "quite sociable and responsive," Lawrence said. The life expectancy of someone with Down syndrome is about 60 years old with good medical care, according to the Global Down Syndrome Foundation (opens in new tab). They also might have a misaligned spine and other health problems. They also have an increased risk of leukemia as a child and dementia as an adult, according to the Mayo Clinic. People with Down syndrome are also at risk of having a wide variety of health problems, including heart, gastrointestinal and immune system problems as well as obesity and sleep apnea. "One might think that they're not… understanding things that they are," she said. Children with Down syndrome are also usually slower to learn to speak and may have continued problems speaking clearly, though many can understand speech much better than they can speak, Lawrence said. This is also true of Down syndrome's cognitive effects a person with Down syndrome will usually have a mildly to moderately low IQ, according to the CDC, though some people may have more or less severe cognitive effects.
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