Nursing management of gastroschisis in the newborn

This article examines gastroschisis in the newborn and identifies nursing management of newborns at delivery and throughout their path to recovery. Gastroschisis is an abdominal wall defect with extruding intestine without any protective membrane covering. The incidence of this condition has been increasing and occurs in every 5 of 10,000 births. Early diagnosis and specialized antenatal care are key to positive outcomes due to the fetal complications that coincide with this condition. Delivery of a baby with gastroschisis requires knowledge and preparation to quickly address all of the babies needs. Once the immediate needs have been met and the baby is stabilized, the best course of action to repair the defect will be determined by the team of doctors and surgical team. Surgery may be done immediately or after some days. The course of action is determined by multiple factors, such as the size and type of defect, size of the baby, and other medical issues the infant may have. The options include primary closure or secondary closure (staged repair).