American Academy of Pediatrics Publishes Updates on Care for Patients With Trisomy 13 and 18

The American Academy of Pediatrics has updated its guidance on how medical professionals should manage children with Trisomy 13 and 18. The clinical report “Guidance for Caring for Infants and Children With Trisomy 13 and Trisomy 18,” published in the August 2025 Pediatrics (published online July 21) states that while the mortality rate for these conditions is high, advances in medical technology and an evolving understanding of patient outcomes have broadened the options available to families. These are genetic conditions that are caused by having an extra chromosome and can be diagnosed during pregnancy or after birth. In the past, because survival beyond the newborn period was not thought to be possible, initiation of intensive care and corrective surgery for commonly associated malformations were typically not offered. New research shows that some infants with Trisomy 13 and 18 can survive into childhood and longer if they have interventions such as heart surgery to decrease the impact of congenital heart disease. The report states that, regardless of where families seek care after a diagnosis of Trisomy 13 or 18, medical teams should work with them to understand their goals for their child’s care and explore the range of care approaches including comfort care and medically appropriate treatment options. Children born with Trisomy 13 and 18 should be treated with the same amount of care and consideration as any other child with a complex, life-limiting diagnosis, whether they are expected to survive for days, months, or years. AAP clinical reports are written by medical experts, reflect the latest evidence in the field, and go through several rounds of peer review before being approved by the AAP Board of Directors and published in Pediatrics. To request an embargoed copy of the clinical report, contact AAP Public Affairs.

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The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 67,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults.