§ Mr. Nicholas WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give a breakdown by age of the mother of the numbers and rates of incidence of births of Down's syndrome babies in(a) the latest year for which figures are available and (b) 10 years previously.
§ Mr. FreemanThe information is shown in the table.
Figures are derived from a voluntary system of notification which collects information on cases reported at birth or up to seven days thereafter. It is, therefore, likely to be an incomplete measure of the total number of babies affected.
393W
Number of babies born with Down's syndrome and rate per 10,000 births, by age of mother, England and Wales 1977 and 1987 Age of mother Number Rate 1977 All ages 425 7.4 Under 20 28 5.1
Age of mother Number Rate 20–24 80 4.5 25–29 116 5.5 30–34 81 8.0 35–39 67 25.9 40–44 39 69.1 45 + 7 149.6 Not stated 7 n/a 1987 All ages 459 6.7 Under 20 33 5.7 20–24 71 3.7 25–29 118 4.9 30–34 107 7.8 35–39 89 19.0 40–44 35 42.7 45 + 3 55.7 Not stated 3 n/a n/a = Not available.
§ Mr. Nicholas WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the current incidence of Down's syndrome; and what it was(a) 10 years and (b) 20 years ago.
§ Mr. AltonTo ask the Secretary of State what has been the incidence of Down's syndrome in newborn infants in(a) the latest year for which figures are available, (b) 10 years previously and (c) 20 years previously.
§ Mr. Freeman[pursuant to his reply, 21 March, column 573]: The answer omitted nine Down's syndrome cases for 1987 for which information was not reported as to their being live or still births. The correct table should therefore read:
Number of babies born with Down 's syndrome and rate per 10,000 total and live births in England and Wales for 1967, 1977 and 1987 All births Live births Year Number Rate Number Rate 1967 613 7.3 594 7.1 1977 425 7.4 413 7.3 1987 459 6.7 443 6.5