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A study has found that about 1,000 of the 800,000 babies born each year in Thailand suffer from Down's syndrome.

The statistics revealed that an average of one out of every 1,000 pregnant women aged 20 to 34 delivers a Down's syndrome baby, but that figure rises as high as one in 100 for 35 to 40yearolds.

Dr Piyarat Samritpradit, an obstetrician at BNH hospital, confirmed that the older the mothertobe, the more likely her child will be born with Down's symptoms.

However, she added that BNH statistics show that younger women are often unaware of the risks so aren't getting their foetuses checked. This is leading to a disproportionately high number of young women delivering babies with Down's symptoms.

"We can check the foetus for Down's symptoms at weeks nine to twelve of pregnancy," Piyarat said.

Down's syndrome is caused by the presence of all or part of an extra 21st chromosome and is associated with some impairment of cognitive ability and physical growth.