Age and Down Syndrome?

I've been snoopin' around on this forum, and it seems like no one is addressing the fact that, after a certain age, a woman's children have an increasingly high chance of down syndrome (about 50 is when it becomes significant). Do you think this has any bearing on the fact that many biblical woman lived hundreds of years? When would they have had all their children? It certainly couldn't be over 100 years old without having a down-syndrom-ed kid for sure. What do you think?

Do you want to discuss this scientifically, faith/belief, or a combination of the two?

Honestly, a combination of the two. Do people think this strengthens the validity of the Bible, or detracts from it? Either way, how?

Thread copied here from the Age and Down Syndrome? thread in the Proposed New Topics forum.

Quick answer: We are suffering the effects of the Fall, the disobedience of Adam and Eve that brought death and disease into the world, and there is Biblical reason to believe that it has cumulative effects down the generations.That is, right after the Fall people still lived hundreds of years although they eventually died, and even after the Flood they still lived over a hundred years apparently healthy. That's the cumulative effect showing up in diminishing longevity.They were simply a lot more healthy than we are, so their babies were also healthier. We have accumulated a lot of genetic diseases as well as susceptibility to contagious and other diseases they didn't have.So I think it's just a matter of understanding the whole context of the Bible.Edited by Faith, : No reason given.Edited by Faith, : No reason given.Edited by Faith, : No reason given.Edited by Faith, : No reason given.

...and now my kids are expected to live to over 100 when my grandfather was expected to live to 70.Is that biblical too or is it the effect of secular society beginning to understand how pathogens and human physiology works and evolves?

The long life of biblical women is possibly due to a different measuring method (maybe they were really counting months or other time units), or embellishment of the folklore, or a combination of both. There's also another effect -- people who live longer than average have a greater chance of making sufficient impact to warrant mention in the traditions of a society.

IIRC, old fathers also increase the risk for Down's and other genetic abnormalities. Some statistical analyses also link older fathers to an increased incidence of autism and schizophrenia.I can't wrap my head around how this issue could have any impact on the credibility of a literal Bible: anyone who already believes people once lived a thousand years will be unmoved by anything science can say to the contrary.For example, some folks insist our DNA is deteriorating such that our puny 100-year-max demonstrates how far we've fallen from our prelapsarian ,millenium-living ancestors. In fact, in a few centuries we've nearly doubled the human lifespan, mostly due to the contributions of engineering and science: safe water supplies, effective sanitation, vaccines, etc.In summary: don't blame it all on mom. And don't expect any demonstrable historic or scientific fact to impact anyone's belief in a literalist Bible.Edited by Omnivorous, : typos

So what you are saying by "we developed new genetic diseases" is that we gained genetic material? Sounds like evolution. And the health of the mother is disregardable. My mom was perfectly healthy at age 40, but I still had a 30% (might be less or more, no idea, but around here) of having the big DS

Well that would imply people are currently living longer, which they are and it is causing big problems, but what I am addressing is the supposed "valley" of age. Apparently living hundreds of years, dropping to as low as 30 years, and now beginning to rise again.

I've never heard that before. I might do my highschool project on this...

Many? Have you read the Bible? How many women are mentioned as having lived hundreds of years?And even in Abraham's day, birthing children at an advanced age was not the ordinary occurrence. Remember how Isaac got his name?

It IS the effect of the advances in medical science, which I regard as a blessing from God due to the Christian history of Western civilization. Jesus came to reverse the Fall in and through those who believe in Him, and that's what's happening. Nevertheless as the OP suggests, we are still a long way from reversing all the Fall's effects.Edited by Faith, : No reason given.

*raises hand* "uh, is that why the Muslim Empire rediscovered the ancient Greeks first and was miles ahead of Europe technologically for centuries?"

No gain in genetic material, just degeneration, which I tend to attribute to mutations, all part of the legacy of the Fall. I simply meant to emphasize that the general health of all was higher than ours today. I know quite a few women who had babies after 40 and worried about having a Down's baby but happily didn't I also know a few who had Down's children. It's not about the health of the mother, it's about our inheritance from the Fall and it can show up in different people in different ways.