Skip Navigation
Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center (GARD)


Other names people use for this condition
  • Patau syndrome
  • Chromosome 13, trisomy 13 complete
  • Complete trisomy 13 syndrome
  • D trisomy syndrome (formerly)



Trisomy 13
ORDR lists rare diseases for information purposes only and does not guarantee that a condition is rare. Read more
The links on this page may take you to sites outside of the NIH. (See Disclaimer for details.)


Trisomy 13, also called Patau syndrome, is a genetic disorder in which all or a portion of chromosome 13 appears three times (trisomy) rather than twice in cells of the body. In some affected individuals, only a percentage of cells may contain the extra 13th chromosome (mosaicism), whereas other cells contain the normal chromosomal pair.[1][2][3] The extra material interferes with normal development, leading to severe intellectual disability and physical abnormalities in many parts of the body. Most cases of trisomy 13 are not inherited and result from random events during the formation of eggs and sperm in healthy parents.[2][3] Due to the presence of several life-threatening medical problems, many infants with trisomy 13 die within their first days or weeks of life. Only about 5-10 percent of children with this condition live past their first year.[2]


References
  1. Trisomy 13 Syndrome. National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD). 2007 Available at: http://www.rarediseases.org/search/rdbdetail_abstract.html?disname=Trisomy%2013%20Syndrome. Accessed October 13, 2009.
  2. Trisomy 13. Genetics Home Reference (GHR). 2009 Available at: http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition=trisomy13. Accessed October 13, 2009.
  3. Chambers D. Trisomy 13. MedlinePlus. 2009 Available at: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001660.htm. Accessed October 13, 2009.
click to take you to contact us form

Questions & Answers (Found 4 Questions)
A list of questions from the public on rare and/or genetic diseases that have been answered by the Genetic and Rare Disease Information Center. Click on each question to find the answer.


For more information about Trisomy 13 click on the boxes below:
More Detailed Information Organizations Services Scientific Conferences Clinical Trials & Research