Prenatal Disorder Gastroschisis Cases In USA Rise

Prenatal Disorder Gastroschisis

The San Francisco Chronicleon Tuesday examined the increasing incidence of gastroschisis, aprenatal disorder in which parts of a fetus' intestines grow outside ofits body and contaminate the amniotic sac. Researchers saygastroschisis incidence in the U.S. has doubled in the last twodecades. There are about 1,380 cases of the condition reportednationwide annually, according to the California Birth Defects Monitoring Program.

According to the Chronicle,the condition is believed to develop during the fifth to eighth week ofpregnancy when there is a disruption in the blood supply of a fetus'developing abdominal wall. About 85% of infants who are treated forgastroschisis survive, but the condition can be fatal if it is nottreated (DeFao, San Francisco Chronicle, 7/3). Thestandard treatment for the disorder, which is not performed until afterchildbirth, often requires one or more surgeries to replace theintestines within the infant's abdominal cavity and close the abdominalwall (Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 7/16/02).

Pregnant women and girls younger than age 20 are at greatest risk of having an infant with the defect, the Chronicle reports.Girls and women ages 17 to 19 are three times more likely to give birthto an infant with the condition than an average woman and girls underage 17 are 4.5 times more likely.

A recent study -- conducted by Edward Lammer, a researcher at Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute;Gary Shaw, former research director of the California Birth DefectsMonitoring Program; and colleagues -- found a link between smoking andgastroschisis. Other risk factors include using recreational drugs anddrinking alcohol, as well as taking medications that reduce blood flow-- including aspirin, ibuprofen and some decongestants -- according tothe California monitoring program.

Lammer and his team recently received a three-year, $670,000 research grant from the California Tobacco Related Diseases Research Programto study the genes of infants with gastroschisis and their mothers."It's clear that it's on the rise," Shaw said, adding, "We need to knowwhy" (San Francisco Chronicle, 7/3).

Reprinted with permission from kaisernetwork.org. You can view theentire Kaiser DailyWomen's Health Policy Report, search the archives, and sign up for emaildelivery at kaisernetwork.org/email. The Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, afree service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation.