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Down syndrome and infertility: what support should we provide?

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Abstract

Down syndrome (DS) is the most common genetic disease at birth; on average, it affects 1 in 700 newborns. The syndrome features cognitive impairment, susceptibility to certain diseases, and (in some cases) congenital malformations. Improvements in medical care for people with DS have led to an increase in life expectancy. Furthermore, the systematic provision of specific support during childhood improves cognitive function and autonomy in adulthood. Consequently, patients and their families are now seeking the same rights as healthy people. Access to procreation is an emerging debate. The presumption of infertility in DS is based on a few old studies. Down syndrome appears to cause spermatogenesis defects in men and premature menopause in women. When assisted reproductive technology makes it possible to solve these problems, the question of fertility in DS must be addressed. Without entering into highly controversial ethical considerations related to parenthood for people with DS, we reviewed the literature on fertility in DS and tried to specify the associated genetic risk.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. EA7404-GIG, UFR des sciences de la Santé Simone Veil, UVSQ, F-78180, Montigny le Bretonneux, France

    Estelle Parizot, Rodolphe Dard & François Vialard

  2. Laboratoire Processus dégénératifs, Stress et Vieillissement, Unité de Biologie Fonctionnelle et Adaptative (BFA), UMR 8251 CNRS, Univ Paris Diderot-Sorbonne Paris Cité, F-75205, Paris, France

    Estelle Parizot & Nathalie Janel

  3. Unité de Génétique Médicale, CHI de Poissy St Germain en Laye, F-78300, Poissy, France

    Rodolphe Dard

  4. Laboratoire de Cytogénétique, CHI de Poissy St Germain en Laye, F-78300 Poissy, France

    François Vialard

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  1. Estelle Parizot
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  2. Rodolphe Dard
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Correspondence to François Vialard.

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Parizot, E., Dard, R., Janel, N. et al. Down syndrome and infertility: what support should we provide?. J Assist Reprod Genet 36, 1063–1067 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-019-01457-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-019-01457-2

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