Prevalence, prenatal diagnosis and survival of gastroschisis

To describe the prevalence, associated anomalies, prenatal diagnosis and survival of cases of gastroschisis.

Data were extracted from the Northern Congenital Abnormality Survey (NorCAS) for cases delivered during 1997 to 2006.

A total of 143 cases of gastroschisis were notified from 310 410 registered births. Ten (7%) gastroschisis cases were associated with other structural anomalies. The male to female ratio among isolated gastroschisis cases was 1:1.1 and 4:1 among non-isolated cases. The total prevalence for isolated cases was 4.28 per 10,000 births (95% CI 3.56-5.01), and the overall live birth prevalence was 4.21 per 10,000 live births (95% CI 3.49-4.93). There was an increase in total prevalence during the ten years, although this increase did not reach statistical significance (chi(2) test for trend = 0.996, p = 0.318). The maternal age-specific prevalence was highest in the less than 20 years age group (18.6 per 10 000 births (95% CI 14.0-23.3)). 130 (97.7%) isolated cases resulted in a live birth; 122 (91.7%) infants were alive at age one year. The accuracy of prenatal diagnosis was high, with gastroschisis being detected in 130 (97.7%) isolated cases.

This population-based study demonstrates a continued increase in gastroschisis, especially in young mothers. The accuracy of prenatal diagnosis was very high. Just over 90% of children born with gastroschisis survived.