Extensive media coverage on QM Down's syndrome study

‘Surge in Down’s pregnancies is matched by surge in terminations’
The Times p.10/11

Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine: Professor Joan Morris

Researchers at Queen Mary said the number of babies born with Down’s syndrome has surged in the last 20 years, as women are having children later in life. The study revealed antenatal and postnatal diagnoses have increased by 71 per cent, however the number of babies born with Down’s remains static due to improved screening and subsequent abortions. If screening programmes had not taken place then the number of babies born with the condition would have increased by 48 per cent. Professor Morris, who led the study of trends in Down’s syndrome, said the increase in pregnancies was being offset with enhanced screening methods. “It was thought that these improvements would lead to a decrease in the number of births with Down’s syndrome. However, due to increases in maternal age, this has not occurred,” she said.

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This story features extensively across the media today including the Daily Mail, Daily Mirror, The Daily Telegraph, The Independent, Guardian.co.uk, The Sun, PR Week and BBC News online.

Professor Morris spoke to the Today Programme on BBC Radio 4 and the story was also broadcasted by ITN.