Is Down Syndrome Inherited?

  • Trisomy 21 and Mosaic Down syndrome are not inherited. 
  • Robertsonian Translocation Down syndrome can be inherited but it can also be spontaneous.  
  • The chance of having another baby with Down syndrome is very small, only slightly higher than usual. 
  • Other family members (the baby’s sisters, brothers, aunts and cousins) do not have an increased chance of having a baby with Down syndrome. 
  • Very few people with Down syndrome have been known to have children.  If they do have children, the chance of them having a baby with Down syndrome is high.