Mosaic Down syndrome is caused by a random event shortly after the egg and sperm join together. When cells are dividing, some cells receive an extra copy of chromosome 21. Others do not. People with mosaic Down syndrome have some cells with two and some cells with three copies of chromosome 21.

Can Down syndrome be mosaic?

When a baby is born with Down syndrome, the healthcare provider takes a blood sample to do a chromosome study. Mosaicism or mosaic Down syndrome is diagnosed when there is a mixture of two types of cells. Some have the usual 46 chromosomes and some have 47.

What is the cause of familial Down syndrome?

About 95 percent of the time, Down syndrome is caused by trisomy 21 — the person has three copies of chromosome 21, instead of the usual two copies, in all cells. This is caused by abnormal cell division during the development of the sperm cell or the egg cell.