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Down Syndrome Births Among Live Births from the CDC Wonder Database
Stephanie L Santoro1,2, Chance Alvarado3,4,5, Stephen A Hart3
1Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
Children (Basel, Switzerland)
|May 27, 2026
Summary
The birth rate for Down syndrome (DS) in the US shows a wide potential range from 2016-2025. High numbers of unknown or not stated statuses in birth data impact accurate DS incidence calculations.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Genetics
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Accurate Down syndrome (DS) birth rate data is crucial for public health planning and resource allocation.
- Previous studies have estimated DS incidence, but data limitations can affect precision.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the live birth incidence of Down syndrome (DS) using the CDC birth certificate database from 2016 to 2025.
- To assess the impact of unknown or not stated DS status on calculated birth rates.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the CDC's online birth certificate database for the years 2016-2025.
- Analyzed live birth data, focusing on cases with Down syndrome (DS) status recorded.
- Calculated annual live birth incidence rates, considering the proportion of unknown/not stated cases.
Main Results:
- The analysis revealed a wide range of potential annual live birth incidence rates for Down syndrome (DS).
- This wide range is attributed to a significant proportion of unknown or not stated DS status in the dataset.
- Calculated rates show overlap with previously published data on DS incidence.
Conclusions:
- The current birth rate of Down syndrome (DS) in the US requires further evaluation due to data limitations.
- Future research should address the high number of unknown/not stated statuses in birth certificate data for more accurate DS incidence.
- Improved data collection on birth defects is essential for precise epidemiological studies.
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