title: Demographic differences in Down syndrome livebirths in the US from 1989 to 2006.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore demographic differences in Down syndrome livebirths in the United States.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) birth certificate data from 1989 to 2006 we analyzed Down syndrome livebirths after correcting for under-reporting. We created six subsets based on maternal age (15-34 and 35-49 years old); US regions, that is, Northeast, Midwest, South and West; marital status, (married, unmarried); education, ( ≤ 12 years, ≥ 13 years); race, (white, black); and Hispanic ethnicity, (non-Hispanic, Hispanic). We estimated expected Down syndrome livebirths assuming no change in birth certificate reporting. The percentage of expected Down syndrome livebirths actually born was calculated by year.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 72 613 424 livebirths from 1989 to 2006. There were 122 519 Down syndrome livebirths expected and 65 492 were actually born. The Midwest had the most expected Down syndrome livebirths actually born (67.6%); the West was lowest (44.4%). More expected Down syndrome livebirths were born to women who were 15 to 34 years old (61 vs 43.8%) and to those with ≤ 12 years education (60.4 vs 46.9%), white race (56.6 vs 37%), unmarried (56.0 vs 52.5%), and of Hispanic ethnicity (55.0 vs 53.3%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The percentage of expected Down syndrome livebirths actually born varies by demographics.
authors.affiliation: Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT 06030, USA. jegan@uchc.edu
authors.forename: James F X
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Egan
authors.forename: Kathleen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Diane
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Timms
authors.forename: Jay M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Bolnick
authors.forename: Winston A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Campbell
authors.forename: Peter A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Benn
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003710:Demography; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000401:mortality; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D050498:Live Birth / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology; D008423:Maternal Age; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D018873:Pregnancy Rate / Q000208:ethnology / Q000639:trends; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult