“Over the past few years, only one baby was born with Down syndrome in 700 to 1,000 births in Iran,” Mahmoud Tavallaei said, noting that the syndrome has been completely controlled in the country.
He described it as a great success, and said it has been achieved by promoting public awareness, pre-natal diagnostic tests, and the use of scientific accomplishments.
Down syndrome affects the child’s learning abilities in addition to causing problems for growth, he noted.
“The probability of this syndrome in boys is greater than in girls. The most important factor is the age of mothers. It means the older the mother is, the greater is the risk.”
The International Day of Persons with Disabilities is annually observed on December 3. It is an international observance promoted by the UN since 1992. It aims to promote an understanding of disability issues and mobilise support for the dignity, rights and well-being of persons with disabilities.
Building on many decades of UN’s work in the field of disability, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, adopted in 2006, has further advanced the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities.
