Increase in incidence of gastroschisis in the South West of England in 1995

Abstract

The incidence of gastroschisis has risen to a higher level than previously reported which, despite a marked association with young maternal age at conception, is not due to an increase in the teenage pregnancy rate. As the average length of inpatient stay in the neonatal intensive care unit for cases with this malformation is approximately four weeks, the rise has considerable cost implications. The increasing incidence may also offer opportunities to determine the cause of gastroschisis.