Cases of a serious birth defect of the abdominal wall called gastroschisis continues to increase over time, according to a report in CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. CDC researchers found that over 18 years, the prevalence of gastroschisis more than doubled in the United States. More research is needed to understand what is causing the increase.
Gastroschisis was most prevalent among mothers younger than 20 years of age. The largest increase in this birth defect – 263 percent from 1995 to 2012 – was among babies born to non-Hispanic black mothers age 20 or younger.
“It concerns us that we don’t know why more babies are being born with this serious birth defect. Public health research is urgently needed to figure out the cause and why certain women are at higher risk of having a baby born with gastroschisis,” said Coleen Boyle, Ph.D., director of CDC’s National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities.
Babies with gastroschisis are born with their intestines extruding from their body through an opening in the abdominal wall. Sometimes other organs, such as the stomach and liver, may also be involved. This birth defect requires surgery to return the abdominal organs into the baby’s body and repair the abdominal wall. Even after surgery, infants with gastroschisis can have problems eating or digesting food. In some cases, gastroschisis can be life threatening. Overall, about 2,000 U.S. babies are born each year with gastroschisis.
The CDC study analyzed data from 14 states: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Georgia, Iowa, Kentucky, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Texas, and Utah. The study compared the prevalence of gastroschisis among babies born to mothers of different ages in 1995-2005 to those born in 2006-2012.
In addition to the finding that the largest increase in gastroschisis was among black non-Hispanic teen mothers, CDC researchers found that:
“While gastroschisis has become more common among non-Hispanic white and Hispanic mothers, this study shows the greatest increases were among younger, non-Hispanic black mothers. We must continue to monitor changes in this birth defect to identify risk factors contributing to these increases and hopefully start to reverse the trend,” said Peggy Honein, Ph.D., M.P.H., chief, Birth Defects Branch, CDC National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities.
CDC is working to address birth defects, including gastroschisis, through the following activities:
The above post is reprinted from materials provided by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.
Disclaimer: DoveMed is not responsible for the adapted accuracy of news releases posted to DoveMed by contributing universities and institutions.
and connect with fellow professionals
At DoveMed, our utmost priority is your well-being. We are an online medical resource dedicated to providing you with accurate and up-to-date information on a wide range of medical topics. But we're more than just an information hub - we genuinely care about your health journey. That's why we offer a variety of products tailored for both healthcare consumers and professionals, because we believe in empowering everyone involved in the care process.
Our mission is to create a user-friendly healthcare technology portal that helps you make better decisions about your overall health and well-being. We understand that navigating the complexities of healthcare can be overwhelming, so we strive to be a reliable and compassionate companion on your path to wellness.
As an impartial and trusted online resource, we connect healthcare seekers, physicians, and hospitals in a marketplace that promotes a higher quality, easy-to-use healthcare experience. You can trust that our content is unbiased and impartial, as it is trusted by physicians, researchers, and university professors around the globe. Importantly, we are not influenced or owned by any pharmaceutical, medical, or media companies. At DoveMed, we are a group of passionate individuals who deeply care about improving health and wellness for people everywhere. Your well-being is at the heart of everything we do.
0 Comments
Please log in to post a comment.