From the time of birth until the intestines are completely back within the body, your baby’s exposed intestines place your child at a greater risk of sepsis, hypothermia, hypoglycemia, and dehydration. All of these are serious risks.47 While your child is healing, the...
The most common complication that children with gastroschisis experience is a slow growth rate57, acid reflux which may include frequent vomiting, and malabsorption. This typically improves over time; an exception is with children who have Short Bowel Syndrome as a...
While there is no definitive way to predict which children will require additional surgeries, common reasons are hernia repairs, atresias, and blockages as noted in the FAQs above. Although rare, there is a risk of transplant surgery especially for those with Short...
Traditional knowledge holds that there is a 3.5% chance of having another child with gastroschisis, but studies show that this is greatly underestimated67 and there “may be higher risk of recurrence than previously known”68. However, multiple studies have shown that...
Having a baby with a birth defect is stressful, as is having a baby in the NICU. This can exacerbate postpartum reactions or “baby blues” that some women experience naturally after birth74. Reach out to friends and family members for support, and consider speaking to...
