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This petition was submitted during the 2010 to 2015 Parliament

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Closed Terminology used when making an Edwards Syndrome / T18 diagnosis

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To change the terminology used when giving a Edwards Syndrome / Trisomy18 diagnosis.

Currently medical professionals advise a baby with T18 is incompatible with life, we want this changed to life limiting. Many children are surviving with T18 & they all write their own stories, putting a label of incompatible with life on then in incorrect.

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  • Petition closed

  • Government responded to this petition

    As this e-petition has received more than 10 000 signatures, the relevant Government department have provided the following response:

    The screening of trisomy of chromosome 18 (Edwards Syndrome) is part of a routine NHS ultrasound screening at 18 to 20 weeks of pregnancy. Parents receiving a diagnosis of Trisomy 18 are faced with the very difficult decision of whether they should continue with the pregnancy. Despite medical advances, babies born with Trisomy 18 face a bleak outlook with most dying soon after birth. Although some survive longer, they often require a range of invasive medical procedures to stay alive.

    Neither the Department of Health, nor the NHS, is responsible for defining medical terminology applied for conditions and have no jurisdiction to influence on the use of this terminology so it would be for clinicians to use the wording they felt to be appropriate in each circumstance.

    This e-petition remains open to signatures and will be considered for debate by the Backbench Business Committee should it pass the 100 000 signature threshold.

  • Government will respond to this petition

    This petition got more than 10,000 signatures meaning that government will respond to it.

  • Petition published

    This petition can now be signed.

    If this petition gets 10,000 signatures, government will respond to it.

    If this petition gets 100,000 signatures, it will be considered for debate in Parliament.

    This petition will stay open until 30 March 2015.