Rare birth defect on rise on East Coast

Researchers say they're seeing more babies born with a rare birth defect known as gastroschisis, and that many of the cases are clustered in small pockets of population on the East and West Coasts, and in the North of the country.

Babies with gastroschisis are born withtheir intestines outside their body, protrudingthrough a hole beside the belly button. They usually need immediate surgery. Most survive, but require medical follow-up, sometimes for life.

The disease is rare, affecting about onebabyin 2,200 in Canada, but what's worrying researchers is that its ratehasmore than doubled in the past two decades.

What's perhaps even more worrying is where those incidents are happening.

"There are higher rates of gastroschisis in some areas compared to either the surrounding areas, or what we might consider the national average," said Dr. Erik Skarsgard, surgeon and lead researcher with the Canadian Pediatric Surgery Network. "There's something about those areas that's associated with a higher incidence of gastroschisis."

Andrea Cunningham thinks she might live in one of those areas. Her son Dylan was born with gastroschisis. She gave birth at theIWK in Halifax, whereshe met two other women living on the same Moncton road as her, whose babies also had gastroschisis.

• Uncommon birth defect appears in 3 babies in homes on 1 road

"It was really terrifying," said 24-year-old Cunningham. "We all grew up in that neighbourhood on that street and it was pretty scary to hear not just one of them but both of them say that's also where they lived."

Five cases on same road

Cunningham says there's now five of them on Moncton'sSalisbury Roadwho've hadchildren with gastroschisis. She says she's constantly hearing from other familieswho have seen herstory and are seeking advice because their babies were also born with the disease.

"I feel like it's at least once a month that somebody's messaging me, not necessarily in Moncton, but in surrounding areas, Saint John, Fredericton. We've met over 20 Iwould say in the last two years. It's definitely increasing a lot."

And while researchers say it's too early to draw any conclusions, there arequestions they feel must be answered.

Still all speculation

"It's all speculation.What else could be going on in those small communities, is this something that's an environmental exposure that's unique to that community, is it an air pollutant,is it something that's related to industry, is it in the water?" wonderedSkarsgard.

Skarsgard hopes to look at some of these environmental risk factors in his next study. That's something Cunningham and other parents say can't come soon enough.

"You put all the blame on yourself. You spend a good portion of your days just looking for anything, talking to other mothers, trying to make a link, did you take Gravol in your pregnancy, did you take Advil, did you drink bottle or tap water?There's just an uncertainty about it all."