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Last Updated on April 3, 2023 by Shabnam Sengupta
Life expectancy can vary greatly depending on individual factors such as overall health, access to medical care, and lifestyle choices. So, while the average life expectancy for people with down syndrome is lower than that of the general population, it’s important to remember that each individual is unique and may have a different experience. This article discusses whether the life expectancy of people with down syndrome is less and whether it has increased over time.
Is the life expectancy of people with down syndrome less?
Yes. On average, people with down syndrome have a shorter life expectancy than those without the condition. However, there has been advances in medical care and an improved understanding of the condition. Due to this, there is a significant increase in the life expectancy of people with down syndrome over the past few decades. Research states that sometimes infants with down syndrome are born weighing less than 1,500 grams, or about 3.3 pounds. This is called ‘very low birth weight’. These babies are 24 times more likely to die in the first 28 days of life compared to normal birth weight infants with down syndrome.
Black or African American infants with down syndrome have a lower chance of surviving beyond the first year of life compared with white infants with down syndrome. Studies suggest that infants with down syndrome with a congenital heart defect (CHD) were five times more likely to die in the first year of life.
Has the life expectancy of down syndrome patients increased?
Yes, the life expectancy of people with down syndrome has dramatically increased. Now, they now live up to 60 years of age. Between 1983 and 2003, about 93% of babies born with down syndrome survived to one year of age. In the same time period, about 88% of babies born with down syndrome survived to 20 years of age.
The number of infants with down syndrome that die before one year of age has declined over time. Studies indicate that the life span of people with down syndrome went up between 1960 and 2007. In 1960, people with down syndrome lived till the age of about 10 years. In 2007, people with down syndrome lived till the age of about 47 years old.
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