What is Gastroschisis?
Gastroschisis is a birth defect in which a baby’s intestines—and sometimes other abdominal organs—develop outside the body through an opening next to the belly button.
Gastroschisis is a birth defect. It happens when a baby’s intestines, and sometimes other organs, grow outside the body instead of inside. This happens through an opening in the belly wall, usually just to the right of the belly button. The defect happens while the baby is still developing in the womb, and doctors need to do surgery soon after birth to fix it.
Babies with gastroschisis often have a smaller belly space than normal. This can make it harder for surgeons to fit the organs back inside.
Help us prevent Gastroschisis
Fact Sheet continues below
Today, it’s fun for your kids to play doctor, but there was a time when medical problems were the center of your life because your child was born with gastroschisis. You wouldn’t trade your precious child for anything, but you wish that they had never gone through all of this.
This is why Birth Defect Research for Children exists. We sponsor the National Birth Defect Registry, a scientifically endorsed research project that can identify causes of birth defects.
Our data have been presented to regulatory authorities; government agencies; for community advocacy; in media reports and studies with scientists. Help other families learn more about the causes of gastroschisis so more cases can be prevented. Just click the button below to go to the National Birth Defect Registry and share your information.
How common is it?
About 1 in every 2,500 babies is born with gastroschisis. It affects boys and girls at the same rate. Younger moms have a higher chance of having a baby with this condition. Teen moms are about four times more likely to have a baby with gastroschisis than moms in their late twenties. In the last 15 years, the incidence of gastroschisis has nearly tripled.
What causes it?
Doctors don’t know the exact cause. They think it’s likely a mix of genes and environmental factors that affect how the baby develops early on. Being a young mother is the biggest known risk factor. Other exposures, including smoking, alcohol use, certain medications (such as vasoconstrictors), solvents, and infections have been associated with gastroschisis in some studies.
Can it be prevented?
Because the exact cause is unknown, prevention can’t be guaranteed. However, general steps that support a healthy pregnancy—avoiding smoking, limiting alcohol and chemical exposures, discussing medications with a healthcare provider, and getting regular prenatal care—may help reduce risk.
How is it diagnosed?
Doctors usually find gastroschisis before birth using a regular ultrasound. It’s treated as a medical emergency once the baby is born. The newborn needs special care and surgery right away.
Treatment
Right after birth, doctors cover the exposed organs with warm, moist, sterile dressings to protect them. They also place a tube into the baby’s stomach to keep it empty. This stops the baby from breathing in stomach contents. Surgery happens as soon as the baby is stable enough to safely receive anesthesia.
During surgery, doctors place the organs back into the belly and close up the opening. Sometimes the belly space is too small, or the organs are too swollen, to close everything right away. In that case, surgeons build a temporary pouch called a “silo.” They slowly move the organs back inside over one to several weeks before doing the final closure.
After surgery, babies usually recover in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). There, an incubator helps keep the baby warm and lowers the risk of infection. The baby also gets IV fluids, antibiotics, pain medicine, and oxygen if needed.
Feeding
Feeding usually starts with a tube through the nose once the baby’s bowels start working again. Doctors introduce feeding slowly, since babies with gastroschisis often have trouble feeding well at first. Some babies need extra help, like feeding therapy, to build up their tolerance.
Risks and outlook
Recovery can take anywhere from several weeks to several months. Possible problems include trouble feeding, slow bowel function, infection, blocked bowels, and, if part of the intestine was damaged, short bowel syndrome. Doctors keep a close watch on babies for these issues during recovery.
Thanks to improved surgical techniques and newborn care, survival rates for gastroschisis are now generally around 90-95%, or even higher.
Fact Sheet by:
Birth Defect Research Children, Inc.
www.birthdefects.org
A 2013 study by BDRC and Dr. Niel Dalal at the University of Texas analyzed 252 gastroschisis cases in the National Birth Defect Registry. Read the full study findings here.
