University of Kentucky's Human Development Institute (HDI) Launches National Center for Prenatal and Postnatal Down Syndrome Resources

Lexington, KY, November 29, 2012 --(PR.com)-- he University of Kentucky's Human Development Institute (HDI) is proud to announce the launch of its National Center for Prenatal and Postnatal Down Syndrome Resources at www.DownSyndromeDiagnosis.org. The National Center includes the following medically reviewed programs: the recently updated Brighter Tomorrows website, the Lettercase/Kennedy Foundation booklets, and the Down Syndrome Pregnancy books and website. The formation of this National Center is particularly important at this time as prenatal testing technology continues to advance, and medical providers and expectant parents need support to understand a prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome.

In 2008, HDI created Brighter Tomorrows, a comprehensive multi-media website about Down syndrome for medical professionals and new and expectant parents in English and Spanish, with funding and support provided by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities. In the past year, HDI has also begun administering the Kennedy Foundation's "Understanding a Down Syndrome Diagnosis" booklet in English and Spanish at www.lettercase.org and Down Syndrome Pregnancy at www.DownSyndromePregnancy.org, a website with resources for expectant mothers. These programs have been supporting expectant parents and medical professionals for the past five years and will now be included as part of the National Center for Prenatal and Postnatal Down Syndrome Resources.

Together, these three resources provide the most credible, comprehensive support available for new and expectant parents learning about a diagnosis of Down syndrome. In an effort to create a single gateway to all of these resources, The National Center for Prenatal and Postnatal Down Syndrome Resources at www.DownSyndromeDiagnosis.org will serve as a clearinghouse directory of these prenatal and postnatal materials as described in the Prenatally and Postnatally Diagnosed Conditions Awareness Act, P. L. No. 110-374.

HDI Executive Director Harold Kleinert says, "This is an incredibly exciting development for new and expectant parents and medical professionals who are learning about a prenatal or postnatal diagnosis of Down syndrome. All of these resources represent our best available knowledge and have been included as recommended resources in the National Society of Genetic Counselor Practice Guidelines for Communicating a Prenatal or Postnatal Diagnosis of Down Syndrome, and they have been featured in prestigious peer-reviewed journals such as the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the American Journal of Medical Genetics, and Genetics in Medicine."

Stephanie Meredith, Medical Outreach Director at HDI and author of "Understanding a Down Syndrome Diagnosis," says, "Bringing these three resources together under one umbrella at the National Center for Prenatal and Postnatal Down Syndrome Resources means that it will be even easier for new and expectant parents and medical professionals to find the resources they need during what can be a very overwhelming time. However, we want to do even more than provide these important tools. We want to expand the National Center to make presentations at conferences, provide translated versions of the resources, and develop new materials also."

This vital National Center will continue to strengthen its resources and outreach and will rely on your continued support in spreading the word to medical practitioners and prospective and new parents about the availability of this resource.