Question - Gastroschisis, is a serious birth defect. This disorder involves a defect in the abdominal wall with abdominal contents extending outside the body at birth. What prenatal exposure has been posited to be casually associated with the currently apparent increasing prevalence of gastroschisis?
Answer- The cited reference reported “During 2011-2015, gastroschisis prevalence was 4.5 per 10,000 live births which was 10% higher than the prevalence during 2006-2010. An ecologic analysis found a higher prevalence of gastroschisis in areas where opioid prescriptions rate were high, supporting epidemiologic data suggesting an association between opioid use during pregnancy and gastroschisis.” (Short TD et al. Gastroschisis trends and ecologic link to opioid prescription rates-United States, 2006-2015. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2019;68:31-36. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6802a2)