Zika Virus Isn't the Only One to Fear, 'Gastroschisis' Birth Defect on the Rise - What You Need to Know

• comments
• 
• 

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a report saying that a serious birth condition known as “gastroschisis” is on the rise among babies born to black women in the U.S.

Gastroschisis, a bizarre birth defect characterized by having organs such as intestines hanging out of a baby's body at birth, has doubled its prevalence in the U.S. over the course of 18 years, reports U.S. News. Health officials, however, do not have an explanation as to the alarming scenario.

“It concerns us that we don’t know why more babies are being born with this serious birth defect,” Coleen Boyle, director of the CDC’s National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, said in a statement.

“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," Boyle added.

The birth defect occurs while the baby is developing inside the mother's womb, where the abdomen develops incorrectly, leaving a hole for the organs to pass through. Doctors can determine if the baby has the condition through regular ultrasounds when pregnant women reach their second trimester. 

This birth defect can be remedied by means of surgery a few weeks after the child is born. Although the organs can be placed back inside the body and the abdominal wall is closed, patients can still suffer from eating and digesting problems, which can lead to acid reflux, malnutrition, stunted growth, or at times life-threatening situations.

The CDC analyzed data from 14 states across the U.S., comparing the prevalence rates of gastroschisis among babies born to moms of different ages in the years 1995-2005 and babies born in 2006-2012.

They found that the birth defect was most prevalent among mothers younger than 20. A 263 percent increase in its prevalence occurred in the time period from 1995 to 2012 was also among babies born to non-Hispanic black mothers aged 20 or younger.

They said that overall, about 2,000 U.S. babies are born with the serious birth defect.

“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,” Peggy Honein, Ph.D., M.P.H., chief, Birth Defects Branch, CDC National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, said in the press release.

“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,” Honein added.