Rise in Down’s pregnancies due to older mothers

THE number of babies diagnosed with Down’s syndrome in Britain has risen sharply in the last 20 years — largely due to women delaying motherhood.

Increasing numbers of older mothers is behind a 71% rise in the number of babies with the condition — from 1,075 diagnoses in 1989/’90 to 1,843 in 2007/’08, research showed yesterday.

However, the number of babies born with Down’s has remained fairly static over the same period due to improved screening and subsequent abortions.