Gastroschisis is a congenital abdominal wall defect where there is herniation of abdominal organs. Optimal maternal nutritional intake, in particular,
fatty acids, are vital for proper growth and development of the fetus. This pilot case-control study explored the association of several
biomarkers of
fatty acids and
gastroschisis. Between 2008 and 2011, we recruited 13 pregnant women in mid-gestation who were referred to the UCSD Prenatal Center for evaluation of an abnormal maternal serum
alpha-fetoprotein (MSAFP) test and subsequently identified as carrying a baby with
gastroschisis. Nine controls were selected from a false positive MSAFP or from the UCSD prenatal clinic. At enrollment, maternal blood was drawn for analysis of
fatty acids. Mann-Whitney-Wilcoxon tests were used to test for mean differences between erythrocyte
fatty acid biomarkers and the
fatty acid lipogenic (
palmitic acid:
linoleic acid) and desaturation (
palmitoleic acid:
palmitic acid) indices and
gastroschisis. Mothers carrying a baby with
gastroschisis and
gastroschisis babies had consistently higher levels of
palmitoleic acid (all P's < 0.05),
gastroschisis mothers had lower levels of
oleic acid during pregnancy and at delivery, and higher levels of DHA at delivery (all P's < 0.05). The lipogenic index was significantly lower at delivery for
gastroschisis mothers (P < 0.05) and the desaturation index was consistently higher in
gastroschisis mothers and babies (all P's < 0.01). These findings suggest that early maternal
inflammation possibly resulting from an imbalance of
fatty acids, leading to a vascular disruption, may be the underlying mechanism responsible for at least some cases of
gastroschisis.