Trisomy 18
Mothers tell their stories
Trisomy 18 (Edward's Syndrome) is a relatively common syndrome caused by the presence of an extra number 18 chromosome, which leads to multiple abnormalities including severe mental retardation, digestive problems, heart failure, renal failure, respiratory failure, blindness, deafness and extreme physical limitations. Many of these abnormalities make it hard for infants to live longer than a few months.