People with Down syndrome, or trisomy 21, a genetic condition caused by an extra copy of human chromosome 21, experienced a remarkable increase in life expectancy during the 20th century. In the early 1900s, less than 20% of newborns with Down syndrome survived past age 5. In the U.S. today, more than 90% of babies with this condition live past age 10 and have a life expectancy of nearly 60 years. These increases were likely fueled by greater inclusion in general society, the discontinuation of institutionalization in psychiatric facilities and better medical care.
Despite these advances, people with trisomy 21 experience an increased risk of many co-occurring conditions, such as congenital heart defects, autoimmune conditions, autism spectrum disorders and Alzheimer’s disease. On the other hand, people with Down syndrome tend to have lower levels of hypertension and certain types of cancers.
