Does Diploidy Cause Birth Defects ?
Before we figure out does diploidy cause birth defects, let us understand when birth defects occur and what qualify as birth defects. Most birth defects occur in the first three months of pregnancy. This is the time that is the most important for fetal development and organ formation. |
A birth defect makes the body look and/or work different. A doctor can diagnose birth defects prior to birth but most of them are detected in the first year of the baby. Certain birth defects like cleft lip or clubfoot are clearly visible but defects of the heart or ear need special tests. Some babies can die due to birth defects while other might need surgery or medical treatment. Many times it so happens that babies with serious birth defects live but need help and assisted living to get through out their lives.
Babies receive chromosomes from both parents. That means that each of us has two sets of each chromosome. Each chromosome copy comes from a different parent. Sometimes the set of chromosome can be copied and this can lead to birth defects. For instance, Down's syndrome babies have three copies of chromosome number 21 while babies with Turner's syndrome have just one X chromosome, wherein the missing X chromosome is invariably due to problems with the sperm. If a baby has an extra 13 chromosome, he will be born with Patau syndrome, while an extra 18 chromosome results in Edward syndrome. Babies born extra X chromosome have Klinefelter's syndrome.
This clearly shows that diploidy does cause birth defects. Just by checking the number of chromosomes in an unborn baby, doctors are able to detect these birth defects.
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