Outcome of neonates with gastroschisis at different gestational ages using a national database.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: The optimal time for delivery of neonates with a prenatal diagnosis of gastroschisis (GS) is controversial. We compared the outcomes for GS at three different gestational ages (GAs), 33-34 weeks, 35-36 weeks, and ≥ 37 weeks.

METHODS: We analyze hospital discharge data of neonates with GS using the 2006, 2009 and 2012 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Kids' Inpatient Database (HCUPKIDS). Multivariable analysis was used to compare the association between GS outcomes and the three GAs.

RESULTS: Significantly higher number of 33-34 week infants had coexisting morbidities like respiratory distress syndrome, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, small bowel atresia, stenosis, or stricture, large bowel atresia and/or stenosis, malrotation, and atrial septal defect. In multivariable logistic regression, 33-34 week infants had higher NEC (p value = 0.002, 95% CI1.64-10.32), small bowel resection (0.024, 1.12-5.25) and pRBCs transfusion (0.024, 1.05-2.11). No differences were found between 35-36 weeks and ≥37 weeks gest infants for NEC, malabsorption, small bowel resection, TPN cholestasis, sepsis, CLABSI, number of pRBCs transfusion, length of stay and total charges.

CONCLUSION: We did not show benefit for delivering early and in the absence of data, delivery at ≥37 weeks was noninferior to 35-36 weeks. We suggest that waiting for spontaneous onset of labor may be a better approach to balance the effects of prematurity and possible ongoing in utero bowel damage/stillbirth.

LEVELS OF EVIDENCE: Level 3 (Retrospective comparative study).