In Utah, STD + UTI = birth defect
June 22, 2008 by Grace Ibay
Filed under Diseases & Conditions
In Utah, 25 babies are born each year with a type of hernia called gastroschisis. Gastroschisis is a birth defect in which an infant’s intestines stick out of the body through a defect on one side of the umbilical cord. The defect is clearly seen during routine ultrasound of the mother, but surgery to repair this type of hernia can only be done after the baby is born.
Researchers interviewed mothers from 10 states, including Utah, where it is more prevalent than the rest of the nation. The study showed that women who had UTI and STD infections one month prior to pregnancy or during pregnancy increases the risk of developing gastroschisis up to 4 times.
What can be done about it? Early intervention to treat these infections can prevent other complications, but there is no way to know if the fetus is or will develop the defect. So the best intervention is before conception – making sure a woman knows that there is a risk for birth defects if she has urinary tract infection and sexually transmitted disease.
We have a 7 year daughter who was born with gastroschisis. And after 7 surgeries she is living life like a normal 7 year old. i just want say that we were std free and our daughter was still born with horrible defect.
I have a 6 year old girl who was also born with Gastroschisis and she had one surgery and has been good ever since. I had my first child at 16 and she is my second at 17. And we had no dieases or infections and still was born with it.
Also that is a horrible thing to say because as a mother you live your life blaming your self for this. You feel like you will never live it down neither will your kid.
Rebecca and Lesley, I’m so sorry about your baby’s conditions.
The risk for gastroschisis increases with a diagnosis of STD, but unfortunately in some cases, gastroschisis happens even in those without a risk of STD.
Don’t beat yourself about it, Rebecca. You love your child and taking care of her, and that’s all that matters, right?
My name is Brandon. I’m 22 years old and I was born with gastrschisis. It took only one surgry to repair it but it made certain things in my life difficult to do because of some risks. I now have two beautiful children of my own and I am happy to say they were born very healthy. So I encourage mothers-to-be to take all precautions during pregnancy because you never know what may happen.
I have a son was born with gastroschis.he’s 20 and doing very well.
My name is Morgan I am 17 years old. I’m 5 months pregnant and I just found out that my baby has Gastroschsis. I’m terrified. I don’t know anything about it really. How did some of you guys handle it. What happens and what can and can’t the baby do when it gets older? If anyone could give me advice or talk to me that would be wonderful.
I had my first son 7 years ago he was born at 35 weeks with gastroschisis, we found out when I was 14 weeks along and we were told that it is a sporadic defect and there was nothing that i did to cause it or anything that we could have done to prevent it.
I did not have any STD’s or UTI.
My son is 7 now and has very few problems.