Gastroschisis is a congenital (from birth) malformation “in which an infant’s intestines stick out of the body through a defect on one side of the umbilical cord.”[1] Since at least 2007, maternal use of paroxetine (Paxil®) during pregnancy has been associated with a 2.9-fold increased risk of gastroschisis.
PubMed Health, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine writes that most often, surgery shortly after birth may correct gastroschisis,[2] though pre-surgery, “the misplaced abdominal contents can make it difficult for the baby to expand the lungs, leading to breathing problems,”[3] and it is written that “bowel death is another [possible] complication.”[4]
Thankfully, an infant suffering from gastroschisis “has a good chance of recovering if the abdominal cavity is large enough.”[5] But PubMed Health warns that “A very small abdominal cavity may result in complications that require additional surgery.”[6]